Hong Kong’s Construction Industry Council (CIC) has achieved its best-ever results at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, securing three Medallions for Excellence.
The medallion winners were Law Chak-sum (for painting and decorating), Tse Yu-lok (welding), and the duo Huang To-kong and Wan Tsz-ho (concrete construction work). Huang and Wan’s medallion was Hong Kong’s first award in the concrete construction work category.
As the category requires teamwork, Huang and Wan said that differences of opinion were inevitable during training but, by learning to understand, support and trust one another, they were able to overcome challenges.
The CIC has now achieved a Medallion for Excellence in Welding for three consecutive WorldSkills Competitions. Tse underwent intensive training over the past year, and expressed gratitude to his trainers for their dedicated guidance. He added that the competition had contributed significantly to his personal growth.
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Law, meanwhile, was thrilled to receive his Medallion for Excellence in Painting and Decorating. Recalling the mistakes he had made during training, he admitted he had not dared to expect too much. Despite setbacks and moments of frustration, he said he chose to face challenges head-on.
Chairman of the CIC Thomas Ho said the contestants’ achievements not only recognized their dedication, perseverance and hard work, but also demonstrate their spirit of craftsmanship and the pursuit of excellence.
"They are a testament to the CIC's commitment and achievements in nurturing talent. We hope that the success stories of these young competitors will inspire the public, especially young people, to see the vast opportunities offered by skills development," Ho said.
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Executive Director of the CIC Albert Cheng said that while these medals are certainly worth celebrating, it is even more important to send a clear message to society: skills can build careers, and skilled professionals can become future leaders.
"Through WorldSkills, we hope to enhance public recognition of professional skills and encourage more young people to pursue their aspirations through talent, determination and hard work, creating their own paths to success," he said.
This year's competition featured 64 skill categories, further broadening the depth and scope of skills development.
Since its inception in 1950, the WorldSkills Competition has been held biennially in different host countries or regions and is widely regarded as the "Olympics of Skills."
