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Team Hong Kong Sweeps 7 Medallions for Excellence at Worldskills São Paulo 2015

The 43^rd WorldSkills Competition held in São Paulo, Brazil, concluded with the Hong Kong Team winning seven Medallions of Excellence on the strength of its outstanding performance. The winning trades included IT Software Solutions for Business, Mechatronics, Graphic Design Technology, Visual Merchandising and Window Dressing, Beauty Therapy, Hairdressing and Wall and Floor Tiling, testimony to their globally benchmarked expertise. 
 
Held 11-16 August, the WorldSkills Competition required competitors to complete the four-day tasks under stringent conditions, and the Hong Kong squad’s participation was marked with a high level of commitment. LAW Ming-fai, a Higher Diploma in Software Engineering graduate from the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), competed in the IT Software Solutions for Business trade, winning a Medallion for Excellence and also named best Hong Kong competitor for his well-honed skills. During the competition he maintained his composure when tackling the stipulated tasks, designing and crafting business software programmes in the areas of function applications, database management, user interface, security and access and retrieval control.      　　
 
LEUNG Wai-kit and YEUNG Hon-lung, graduates of the IVE Higher Diploma in Engineering Management, together assembled a mechatronics system which saw them win a medallion in the Mechatronics trade. The pair said they were delighted with the result and the once in a lifetime opportunity they had been given to test themselves against the world’s best, enhancing their professional abilities through comparing notes with their young international peers.　　　　　　
 
Graphic Design Technology winner CHAN Shing-chung, from the Higher Diploma in Visual Communication programme at the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), succeeded in editing and designing new media, packaging, enterprise and advertising solutions, as well as making a presentation.
 
HKDI Higher Diploma in Exhibition Design student So Ka-yu won a medallion in the Visual Merchandising and Window Dressing trade. Set the challenge of conceiving a theme on the spot, her composure, assured performance, as well as exquisite and innovative children’s wear window design won the commendation of judges.
 
While all Hong Kong competitors showed a high level of commitment, Beauty Therapy winner LAU Ho-ying, a graduate of the Diploma in Vocational Education (Beauty Care) at the Youth College, went a step further. In her pursuit for professional excellence, Ho-ying personally lost 20lbs within six months in order to present a better professional image. She also gave up her beauty care job in a major chain salon to better prepare for the competition. The effort paid off, with her picking up the medallion.
 
Another Diploma in Vocational Education (Hairdressing) winner, LAU Ka-ho, shone in the Hairdressing trade. He thanked the Youth College for the intensive training it offered in preparation for the WorldSkills Competition as well as the exchange opportunities made available. Ka-ho said he particularly benefitted from the competition experience and professional knowledge his expert teachers had shared with him, greatly enhancing his skills and confidence, which saw him come home with the accolade.     　　　
 
Meanwhile Wall and Floor Tiling winner HUI Yip-keung, enrolled in the Construction Industry Council’s Basic Craft Course in Bricklaying, Plastering and Tiling, displayed consummate skills in wall and floor tiling, a testament to his ability and attention to detail.
 
WorldSkills São Paulo 2015 has attracted some 1,200 young talents from over 60 countries and regions to compete in 50 competition trades. The biennial WorldSkills Competition is a prestigious international event that promotes professional expertise and skills to raise awareness of vocational education and training in the international community.
 
This time the Hong Kong Team was represented in the most trades since first joining the Worldskills Competition. Competing with young talents from around the globe, 18 skilled Hong Kong competitors took part in 16 competition trades: beauty therapy, electrical installations, graphic design technology, hairdressing, information network cabling, IT software solutions for business, mechatronics, mobile robotics, painting & decorating, plumbing & heating, restaurant service, visual merchandising & window dressing, wall & floor tiling and web design, with pâtisserie & confectionery and joinery as new trades. The Hong Kong competitors are winners of the WorldSkills Hong Kong Competition 2014, jointly organised by the Vocational Training Council (VTC), the Construction Industry Council and the Clothing Industry Training Authority, and selected by experts for the WorldSkills Competition. Since first participating in 1997, the Hong Kong Team has won two Golds, one Silver, four Bronze and 39 Medallions for Excellence (including this year’s haul). The 44^th WorldSkills Competition will be held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in 2017.
 
Established in 1982, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) is the largest vocational education, training and professional development group in Hong Kong with some 250,000 students and trainees each year. 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 valued supports to industries for their manpower development. VTC has 13 member institutions including 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) , International Culinary Institute (ICI) , Hospitality Industry Training and Development Centre (HITDC) , Chinese Cuisine Training Institute (CCTI) , Maritime Services Training Institute (MSTI) , Youth College , Pro-Act by VTC , Integrated Vocational Development Centre (IVDC) and Shine Skills Centre.

VTC web site: www.vtc.edu.hk
 

Media enquiries: 2836 1869 / 2836 1046

 

WorldSkills São Paulo 2015
11-16 August
Medallions for Excellence