Team Hong Kong claim 1 Gold 1 Sliver 2 Bronze Medals and 10 Medallions for Excellence at WorldSkills Lyon 2024

Team Hong Kong produced a record-breaking performance at the WorldSkills Competition which concluded on Sunday (15 September) in Lyon, France, clinching 1 Gold medal in the Visual Merchandising trade, 1 Silver medal in the Pâtisserie and Confectionery trade, 2 Bronze medals in the Aircraft Maintenance and Cloud Computing trades, and 10 Medallions for Excellence in the 3D Digital Game Art, Bakery, Fashion Technology, Graphic Design Technology, Information Network Cabling, Joinery, Mechatronics, Mobile Applications Development, Restaurant Service and Welding trades. Exhibition skills competitions were also held at WorldSkills Lyon this year, and Hong Kong got the second place (Medallion for Excellence) in Rail Vehicle Technology. This achievement in the competition hailed as the “Skills Olympics” is a testimony that Hong Kong competitors have reached internationally-recognised skills standards. Secretary for Education, Dr CHOI Yuk-lin, was in Lyon to show her support to Team Hong Kong and share in their joy of victory.

CHAN Wing-ki, a graduate of Higher Diploma in Design for Event, Exhibition and Performance at Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), a member institution of Vocational Training Council (VTC), won the Gold Medal in the Visual Merchandising trade and was named the top scorer of Hong Kong Team. This is also the second consecutive gold medal for the Hong Kong team in this competition trade. CHAN was thrilled and surprised when the result was announced, expressing her gratitude for the unwavering support and guidance of the expert who had spent days and nights helping to hone her skills. CHAN said she was excited that her hard work and dedication had finally paid off, adding that WorldSkills Competition participants were expected to reach the skills levels of professionals. Joining the competition had helped her sharpen her technical competencies and enabled her to gain insights into the latest industry developments, which would in turn open up more career opportunities. She noted that her time management and problem-solving skills had also improved and most importantly, the competition has strengthened her ability to remain calm and clear-headed under pressure, which helped her win the medal.

Meanwhile, graduates from two other member institutions of VTC were awarded for their excellent performance. YIU Ho-man, graduate of Higher Diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts at International Culinary Institute (ICI), won a Silver in the Pâtisserie and Confectionery trade; graduates of Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), WONG Fu-tung of Higher Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering won a Bronze in the Aircraft Maintenance trade which Team Hong Kong joined for the first time; and WAN Ka-chi of Higher Diploma in Cloud and Data Centre Administration won a Bronze in the Cloud Computing trade. They said that joining the WorldSkills competition was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They were honoured to have met and competed against talented young peers from all over the world. The competition was an eye-opener and they had learnt about the latest technological developments from around the globe. Winning the awards had made them more confident in their career pursuit, and they hoped to shine in their respective professions in the future.

This year, 37 Hong Kong competitors participated in 32 skills trade competitions, marking the highest number of participants and competition trades in Hong Kong history. The competitors were all already winners in the local WorldSkills Hong Kong Competition jointly organised by the Vocational Training Council (VTC), the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the Clothing Industry Training Authority (CITA), and were subsequently selected to represent Hong Kong through various assessments. Among the competitors are two employees of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), who received full support from the Department for the participation and training. 

Dr CHOI Yuk-lin visited Lyon in person to cheer on the Hong Kong delegation, and presented awards to the winners.  Dr Choi highly praised the team for their excellent performance in the Competition, noting that they have won the highest number of awards and achieved the best ever results since Hong Kong first participated in the WorldSkills Competition in 1997. She also commended Hong Kong competitors for showcasing their best performance and fully demonstrating the talent and perseverance of Hong Kong youth in the international arena.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Youth Skills Competition, Dr Roy CHUNG, noted that the WorldSkills Competition was the world's largest international skills event, saying he recognised the efforts of the Hong Kong competitors and took pride in the good results they had achieved, which reflected Hong Kong's excellence in vocational skills.

VTC Chairman, Mr Tony TAI, commented that the competition was an important platform for nurturing the next generation of skilled professionals. He was delighted to see students from various VTC institutions compete against elite international competitors and give such commendable performances. Mr TAI hoped to see more vocational talent shine in their professional development through participating in international competitions and training.

CIC Chairman, Ir Prof. Thomas HO, said the young competitors could learn from other top-notch representatives from around the world in the WorldSkills Competition. The competition was more than just a skills contest; it was also a testament to young people's commitment to excellence.

Chairman of CITA, Mr CHENG Man-tak, expressed that he was so impressed by the competitors’ enthusiasm and commitment towards their professional skills to gear themselves up for WorldSkills. The competitors had to overcome many challenges in the process to develop superb skills and strong inner resources for unleashing their potential in the competition.

Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Raymond POON, said it is the honour of the Department to have two young colleagues representing Hong Kong in the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, and the Electrical Installations competitions. These experiences are conducive to the Department’s continuous enhancement of professional training which aims to provide the strongest support for the development of new quality productive forces in Hong Kong.

The biennial WorldSkills Competition organised by WorldSkills International is the world’s largest vocational education and skills excellence event, aimed at raising awareness of Vocational and professional education and training (VPET), as well as providing a valuable exchange platform for competitors and skills experts. The Lyon event from 10 to 15 September was the 47th to date featuring 1,400 skilled talents from about 70 countries and regions, participating in 62 skills competitions. 

Hong Kong competitors participated in 32 skills trades, namely 3D Digital Game Art, Aircraft Maintenance, Autonomous Mobile Robotics, Bakery, Beauty Therapy, Car Painting, Cloud Computing, Concrete Construction Work, Cooking, Cyber Security, Digital Construction, Electrical Installations, Fashion Technology, Graphic Design Technology, Hairdressing, Hotel Reception, Information Network Cabling, IT Network Systems Administration, Jewellery, Joinery, Mechatronics, Mobile Applications Development, Painting and Decorating, Pâtisserie and Confectionery, Plumbing and Heating, Rail Vehicle Technology, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Restaurant Service, Visual Merchandising, Wall and Floor Tiling, Web Technologies and Welding. 

Since first participating in WorldSkills in 1997, Hong Kong has won four Gold medals, two Silvers, seven Bronzes and 81 Medallions for Excellence – a testimony to the world-recognised skill levels of the city’s young talents.

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 also 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

Media Enquiries：2836 1791 / 2836 1869

Annex: WorldSkills Lyon 2024 Result of Hong Kong Team