Team Hong Kong sends its strongest-ever delegation to WorldSkills Shanghai 2026
Acting Secretary for Education Dr Jeff SZE encourages competitors to strive for excellence

Hailed as the “Skills Olympics”, the WorldSkills Competition will be held in Shanghai this September, marking the first time Chinese Mainland hosts this prestigious international event. Hong Kong will send its largest-ever delegation of 41 skilled competitors to participate in 37 skills competitions and exchange expertise with competitors from around the world.

The members of the Team Hong Kong vowed to give their best during the Flag Presentation Ceremony last Thursday (20 August), at which Dr Jeff SZE, the Acting Secretary for Education, and Zheng Jinpeng, Inspector II of the Department of Educational and Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, officiated at the ceremony to wish the team every success.

The Acting Secretary for Education Dr Jeff SZE said that vocational and professional education and training (VPET) cultivates a vast pool of skilled talent in Hong Kong, serving as a key pillar for diversified economic development. He noted that the WorldSkills Competition not only enables skills exchange among young people worldwide, but also serves as an international stage to showcase their talents. He hoped that Team Hong Kong will seize the opportunity to learn from competitors across different countries and regions, embrace new perspectives and technologies, and excel in the competition.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Youth Skills Competition Dr Roy CHUNG said that the WorldSkills Competition provides a valuable international platform for Hong Kong’s young competitors to connect with the world, gain experience, enhance their skills, and showcase the achievements of Hong Kong’s vocational and professional education and training (VPET) and skills training. He hoped that the competitors would strive for excellence and seize the opportunity to keep abreast of the latest industry developments and technological trends. He also encouraged them to continue striving for excellence in their respective professional fields and contribute to the development of their industries and society.

The biennial WorldSkills Competition organised by WorldSkills International is the world’s largest vocational education and skills excellence event, aiming at raising awareness of VPET, as well as providing a valuable exchange platform for competitors and experts. The 48th WorldSkills Competition will take place in Shanghai from 22 to 27 September, bringing together around 1,400 young competitors from nearly 70 countries and regions to compete in 64 skills competitions. Hong Kong’s 41 competitors will participate in 37 competition trades (please refer to Annex for details), setting new records for both the number of competitors and the number of competition trades entered.

Two competition trades, “Software Testing” and “Cabinetmaking”, will see Hong Kong represented for the first time. Competing for Hong Kong in the “Software Testing” trade is CHAN Chun-ki, a graduate of the Higher Diploma in Software Engineering at the Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT). Since childhood, Chun-ki has enjoyed playing computer games and uncovering hidden shortcuts to progress through games more efficiently. His keen eye for detail is well suited to software testing.

He likens software testing to detective work, where competitors must discover clues, analyse system logic meticulously, and identify bugs and defects in source code to ensure software operates reliably and delivers an optimal user experience. “Solving a case” brings him a strong sense of accomplishment.

Since being selected to represent Hong Kong, Chun-ki has taken part in various skills competitions and exchange activities in places including Guangzhou and Korea. These experiences have exposed him to the high standards of competitors from around the world, and have further fuelled his determination to excel. Viewing the competition as a series of challenges to be conquered, much like advancing through levels in a computer game, he hopes to continue sharpening both his technical expertise and speed.

HKIIT Lecturer Dr WONG Chi-tin, Sky, the expert for this competition trade, noted that software and applications have become an integral part of everyday life in the digital era. From logging into personal accounts to booking tickets, countless daily activities rely on complex software and systems, making software quality of paramount importance. He explained that competitors in the “Software Testing” trade are required to apply a range of testing techniques to evaluate software comprehensively from multiple perspectives, including functionality, reliability and security, ensuring compliance with quality standards while identifying and rectifying potential issues at an early stage.

Dr WONG added that software testing plays a critical role throughout the software development lifecycle. As enterprises accelerate their digital transformation, demand for software testing professionals continues to grow. Not only are local enterprises actively seeking such talent, but Hong Kong professionals can also provide services remotely to enterprises around the world, opening up extensive career opportunities. Software testing requires strong logical reasoning, analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. These competencies will give young people a competitive edge in the future workplace.

Industry support provides strong backing for competitors as they prepare intensively for the competition and strive to perform at their best. One such supporter is Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO), which is supporting its Aircraft Maintenance Trainee, Hayden CHUNG, in representing Hong Kong in the “Aircraft Maintenance” trade.

Hayden joined HAECO after graduating with a Higher Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE). He said HAECO has been highly supportive of his competition preparations, leveraging its professional equipment and training opportunities. These have enabled him to frequently practise essential tasks such as troubleshooting technical faults, maintaining aircraft systems and carrying out structural repairs, helping him continually refine his skills.

In addition, HAECO arranged for experienced colleagues to provide mentorship, including Jason WONG, who won the bronze medal in the same trade at the previous WorldSkills Competition. Jason generously shared his expertise with Hayden, particularly in stainless steel riveting, a technique in which Hayden lacked confidence. It requires both precise calculations and meticulous craftsmanship. Through Jason’s dedicated guidance and his own diligent practice, Hayden has mastered this critical skill and gained the confidence of delivering his best performance in Shanghai.

Hayden also underwent more than ten days of extensive training in Zhengzhou with competitors from the Chinese Mainland, Europe and other parts of Asia. The training enabled him to familiarise himself with the competition requirements and maintenance standards for the designated aircraft models. This invaluable experience also gave him a first taste of the intensity of a world-class competition. Training and competing alongside elite competitors motivated him to continually hone his skills, while enjoying the opportunity to exchange knowledge, learn from others and support one another.

Competitors for Team Hong Kong are all winners of the WorldSkills Hong Kong Competition jointly organised by the Vocational Training Council (VTC), the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Clothing Industry Training Authority (CITA) who were subsequently selected to represent Hong Kong through various assessments. Since first participating in WorldSkills in 1997, Hong Kong has won four Gold, two Silver and seven Bronze medals as well as 81 Medallions for Excellence.

Established in 1982, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) is the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong. The mission of VTC is to provide a valued choice to school leavers and working people to acquire the values, knowledge, and skills for lifelong learning and enhanced employability, and to provide support to industries for their manpower development. VTC has 14 member institutions, namely the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), the Institute of Professional Education And Knowledge (PEAK), the School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE), the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), the Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT),  the Hotel and Tourism Institute (HTI),  the Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI), the International Culinary Institute (ICI), the Maritime Services Training Institute (MSTI), Youth College, Pro-Act by VTC, the Integrated Vocational Development Centre (IVDC) and the Shine Skills Centre.

Website: www.vtc.edu.hk

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