Past winners share passion, lead by example

Two years ago, then 22-year-old Zhu Junfeng took victory in the auto body repair event at the 47th WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France. His triumph was a reward for five years of dedication.

Born in Zunyi, Guizhou province, Zhu went to Shanghai at the age of 16 to study at the Yangpu Modern Vocational School Attached to Shanghai Normal University. Inspired by the success of his senior schoolmates in the WorldSkills competitions, Zhu became determined to do well in the event.

The auto body repair challenge requires contestants to restore a crash-damaged vehicle to factory standards and be roadworthy within a limited time period. It has a narrow margin of error set at 0.5 millimeters.

The repairer needs to have extensive vehicle knowledge and expertise in assessing damage and making repairs.

Zhu's preparation for the event was meticulous. From 2019, he was in the workshop from early morning to midnight, improving his precision and knowledge through countless practice sessions.

After his victory, Zhu's career at SAIC Volkswagen thrived.

Working as a repair technical development engineer, the scope of the 24-year-old's work has expanded. Currently, he is primarily responsible for developing automotive maintenance manuals. The manuals are distributed to thousands of dealerships nationwide and serve as guides for technicians and mechanics. "Winning the championship marked a new start," Zhu told The Paper.cn news outlet.

As an "ambassador" to the recent 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, Zhu hoped to show more young people the possibilities skills and vocational education bring.

China joined WorldSkills International in 2010 and participated in the WorldSkills Competition for the first time in 2011.

Since the competition began, China has won 134 gold medals, 52 silver medals, 32 bronze medals, and 77 excellence awards.

Zhu also helped young Chinese representatives prepare for the Shanghai event. He was not alone. Many previous winners returned as teachers and coaches to help cultivate a diverse range of talent.

Gu Junjie, who won China's first gold medal in the print media technology section at the 2022 World-Skills Competition Special Edition in Aarau, Switzerland, has become a teacher at his alma mater, the Shanghai Publishing and Printing College.

He incorporates the required competition standards and his experience into his lessons and has trained several national and industry champions.

The printing industry faces big challenges in the artificial intelligence era, but Gu still sees value in developing workers' skills.

He added that beyond the accolades, the competition brings competitors "personal growth", and the confidence and courage to face unknown challenges.

"My students were hesitant and too timid to make mistakes at first. But through training and competition they have shown a totally different state of mind and now have the ability to handle tough conditions," Gu said.

Pan Shenhan, who claimed China's first gold medal in floristry at the age of 17 at the 2017 WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi, also returned to his old school, the Shanghai Construction Management Vocational College, as a lecturer.

Over the past nine years, Pan also furthered his education. He was appointed to the Chinese expert panel for the 46th and 47th World-Skills competitions after coaching the Chinese floristry team at the 45th edition of the event.

In the classroom, Pan often adapts real challenges from the competition into practical exercises. His upbringing and success have also inspired many students who failed exams and were plagued by self-doubt to pursue skills, passion and dedication — just as he did.

The Shanghai competition was special for Pan who served as the venue manager for the floristry event.

Pan's journey with floristry has continued. In addition to being an educator and training WorldSkills competitors, he also wants to introduce the charm of China's floristry to a wider audience worldwide.

"The subtleties of classical Chinese floristry techniques, philosophy and artistic value have not yet been fully recognized on the international stage. With integration with international floristry, I hope to bring our traditional aesthetics and flower-arranging more under the global spotlight," he said.

wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn