The Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) will take a delegation of 24 young competitors (aged not over 25) to Shanghai in September to participate in the 48th WorldSkills Competition, Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) Director Chan Un Tong said in a departure ceremony yesterday.
The departure ceremony and selection contest awards presentation were held on the Macao University of Tourism (UTM) campus in Mong Ha district, marking the final stretch of intensive preparations for the event.
According to a DSAL statement yesterday, the local youths for this year’s competition were selected through a rigorous open process, which initially attracted nearly 600 applicants. Contestants who passed the preliminary rounds earned slots in an advanced intensive training programme, undergoing 350 to 600 hours of professional training.
Following a final selection round, 24 young talents were chosen to represent Macau across 22 competitive skills categories, including electrical installations, cooking (Western cuisine), retail sales, and mobile applications development, the statement said, adding that the competitors will showcase their technical excellence and professional competence on the international stage, competing side-by-side with global skills elites.
The statement added that Macau has been organising delegations for the WorldSkills Competition since 1985. Over the years, local talents have achieved remarkable success, securing a cumulative total of one gold, three silver, and three bronze medals, alongside 50 medals for excellence.
Chan noted in his speech yesterday that the competitors should cherish this opportunity to exchange knowledge with the world’s top skills talents. He urged the youngsters to broaden their international horizons through the competition, proactively master cutting-edge technologies, and inject new momentum into the appropriate diversification of the local economy in the future.
Wong noted that the skills categories covered by the Macau delegation span high-tech industries, digital technology, modern services, and creative craftys, adding that these fields align with the talent demands driven by the local industrial development, highlighting that sustainable industrial growth relies heavily on a robust pipeline of skilled professionals.
Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) Director Chan Un Tong (front row, centre), Macau’s WorldSkills’ delegation of 24 young competitors (aged not over 25) and members of an expert team pose for a group photo during a departure ceremony and selection contest awards presentation on the Macao University of Tourism (UTM) campus in Mong Ha district yesterday. – Photo: Ida Cheong
