'One School, One Member' Program Launched Ahead of WorldSkills Competition

Shanghai is gearing up to host the 48th WorldSkills Competition in September with the launch of the "One School, One Member" program on Wednesday, during the preparation week, to break national and linguistic barriers through in-depth skills exchanges and youth dialogue.

With over 5,000 pre-registrations from 71 WorldSkills member countries and regions, the 48th WorldSkills Competition – to held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in suburban Qingpu District – is poised to set records in event categories, participant numbers and member participation.

Starting on September 22, competing teams will visit paired institutions for exchange activities. Meanwhile, teacher and student representatives from paired institutions will attend competition venues.

"We hope through the 'One School, One Member' program Chinese teachers and students can feel up close the charm of the WorldSkills Competition, while global competitors see a real China and Shanghai," said Yu Wenda, deputy chief of the Shanghai Education Commission's vocational education division.

A pre-tour was arranged at the Shanghai Information Management School last week to test-run the program, where three WorldSkills Champions Trust representatives tried their hand at traditional Chinese skills – making dumplings and incense coils.

Abraham Mundengo, a Zambian competitor of Information Network Cabling at the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition, visited the school's training center for IT Network Systems Administration, which is included in the WorldSkills Competition. He said "the beauty about skills is that it gives you the opportunity to do things on your own."

Mundengo said the skills competition has changed everything in his life.

"It's not about just the technical aspect. It's about transforming you to be a better person, so you connect with people much better, you get to understand the other side better, you get to think of other people before yourselves because you have the skill," the Zambian observed.

"For me, I've taken it further, I use this skill to do my own thing. And the idea that I have is I want to bring in as many people on board as possible. So back home, I work with young people as well. I tell them about skills, I teach them what I've learned. So you see I'm trying to impact other people as well."

Shawna Bourke, director of marketing and communications at WorldSkills International, said the "One School, One Member" program is critical during the competition "because it allows the students from around the world to come and visit with local students. They will learn about the beautiful Chinese culture and meet with young people who are curious about their skills, and what they can do in the future to excel."

She noted that preparations for the event are going well in Shanghai, where everyone is working hard to make the city an epicenter of skills from around the world this September.

"The NECC will be the biggest venue that has ever hosted a WorldSkills Competition in. There will be hundreds of thousands of people who will visit the NECC and get to experience the global stage of skills featuring students from all around the world," Bourke pointed out.

"WorldSkills started with two member countries, Portugal and Spain, which hosted the very first event, and now we are hosting the 48th, which will have over 70 countries and regions involved. It is truly a global celebration of skills."