Flowing with AI's growth highlighted at skills event

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The global industrial transformation and upgrade has driven the ongoing emergence of new industries and occupations, which resulted in the seven new skills being added to the biennial event, Wu explained.

In recent years, for example, high-speed rail and urban rail transit have developed rapidly, but the sector faces a shortage of skilled workers for the operation, maintenance and repair of rail vehicles. As a result, rail vehicle technology skill was added to reflect this need, Wu said.

"China is already taking a leading position in rail vehicle technology worldwide," said Yang Danhao, a coach of Shanghai Communications Polytechnic's team in the rail vehicle technology sector of the competition. "Adding this new skill to the competition allowed participants from across the world to learn from our experience in this sector."

Yang added the competition raised awareness about China's high-speed railway and rail transportation brands, promoting their global reputation.

As the second-largest employment sector in the world, retail is a fundamental industry supporting national economies and people's livelihoods. Retail sales was one of the seven new skills at this year's competition. Digital transformation in new retail has underscored a soaring demand for multiskilled talent in the sector.

Shanghai is building itself into an international consumption hub and China is experiencing a consumption upgrade and high-quality development. China's consumer goods retail sales reached 50.1 trillion yuan ($7.48 trillion) in 2025, up 3.7 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Commerce. Final consumption expenditure contributed 52 percent to economic growth, continuing as the main driver of the economy.

In 2017, Chen Yifan, a China Eastern flight attendant, won the excellence award in restaurant service at the 44th WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi.

Chen said training for the competition allows participants to hone a specific skill or profession, which can lead to significant improvements in their work performance.

"Competing at the WorldSkills Competition let me become a master of my work skills. More importantly it allowed me to bring the ability to pay attention to details, as well as excellence and international-standard professionalism, to our daily service, so that we can better serve our customers," said Chen. She was the first Chinese entrant to win a medal in the restaurant service skill competition.

Wu said a WorldSkills medal and other work awards can help inspire more young people to enter a particular industry and develop their skills.

wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn