Stefan Praschl, Board Member of WorldSkills International, speaking at The 2nd "Belt and Road" International Skills Competition.
Chongqing is an Important Partner of the World Skills Competition
Praschl has visited several training bases in China for World Skills Competitions. He said, "I have seen how China can help these competitors prepare for international competitions, and I think this is very good. We have had exchanges, discussed future competition projects for the World Skills Competition, and had effective discussions with Chinese experts. I have learned that competitors from Chongqing achieved excellent results in the previous World Skills Competition, and in recent years, many gold medalists have emerged, which is very impressive. I think bringing them to training bases or schools as teachers to train other competitors and students is a significant progress for Chongqing."
International Skills Competition Promotes International Cooperation
Stefan Praschl praised the "Belt and Road" International Skills Competition as a "good starting point". "It is not limited to member countries of the World Skills Competition, participating in such a large event is a rare experience for the non-members. We are very grateful for China's initiative, as it is a great opportunity to understand other countries and people and establish connections with them."
"Looking at the workflow of competitors, why they do it that way, this kind of communication, the collision of different experiences between experts, is very important. Usually in such large events, you gather stakeholders and social managers through such a event, which is also for communication. Everyone gathers together to discuss vocational education and training, establish a network, and allow experts from all over the world to communicate together."
Embrace the Changes Brought by AI
Regarding the rapid development of AI technology he said, "I think we need to respond positively to the development of the industry. For example, in the field of AI, we need to be more proactive in introducing these new technologies. We need to think about what these new technologies mean for future workers and how they can be put into practice in our skills competitions. Because AI technology is greatly changing our daily work."
A Good Opportunity for Mutual Understanding
"I look forward to meeting more participating countries and representatives from non-member countries of the WorldSkills International in the "Belt and Road" International Skills Competition. I am very excited to meet and talk with them."
WorldSkills International is currently very interested in the development of Africa, because there are not many member countries in Africa. The African Union established the WorldSkills Africa this year, and Zambia will host the African Skills Competition next year. He hopes to attract more African countries to participate in this competition. "The International Skills Competition is a great opportunity to help us get to know each other."
World Skills Competition
The World Skills Competition is the highest level of global vocational skills competition, organized by the WorldSkills International and held every two years, known as the "World Skills Olympics". The 47th World Skills Competition will be held in Lyon, France from September 10 to 15, 2024, and China will participate in all 59 events.
Chinese Article and Photos Source: Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security