Two years ago, Zhu Junfeng, then 22, captured gold in the auto body repair category at the 47th WorldSkills Competition held in Lyon, France, marking the culmination of five years of intensive training. Originating from Zunyi in Guizhou province, Zhu moved to Shanghai at 16 to study at the Yangpu Modern Vocational School Attached to Shanghai Normal University. Motivated by earlier successes of his seniors in WorldSkills contests, he dedicated himself to mastering the demanding discipline, which requires restoring crash-damaged vehicles to factory standards with a precision margin of just 0.5 millimeters within strict time constraints.
Zhu’s preparation involved extensive daily practice sessions starting in 2019, often working from early morning to midnight to enhance both his technical knowledge and accuracy. After his victory, Zhu advanced his career at SAIC Volkswagen, now serving as a repair technical development engineer. He primarily develops automotive maintenance manuals used by thousands of dealerships across China, providing essential guidance to technicians and mechanics. Zhu also acted as an ambassador for the recent 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, encouraging young people to explore vocational education and skills development.
China joined WorldSkills International in 2010 and made its debut in the competition in 2011. Since then, Chinese competitors have earned a total of 134 gold medals, 52 silver medals, 32 bronze medals, and 77 excellence awards. A number of past winners, including Zhu, have returned as coaches and instructors to mentor new talent and contribute to the growth of vocational education nationwide.
Among them is Gu Junjie, who secured China’s first gold medal in print media technology during the 2022 WorldSkills Competition Special Edition in Aarau, Switzerland. Gu now teaches at the Shanghai Publishing and Printing College, integrating competition standards and his personal experience into his curriculum. Despite challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence in the printing industry, Gu remains committed to advancing worker skills. He emphasized that beyond winning medals, the competition fosters personal growth and builds the confidence needed to face new challenges. He noted that his students, initially reluctant to make mistakes, have developed resilience and adaptability through rigorous training and competition experience.
Similarly, Pan Shenhan, who won China’s first gold in floristry at the 2017 WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi at age 17, returned to teach at the Shanghai Construction Management Vocational College. Over nearly a decade, Pan has furthered his education and served on China’s expert panel for the 46th and 47th editions of the competition after coaching the floristry team at the 45th event. In his teaching, Pan incorporates real-world challenges from the competition into practical exercises, inspiring students who have struggled academically to pursue skills with dedication and passion. Pan played a key role in the Shanghai competition as the venue manager for the floristry segment.
Beyond education and competition, Pan seeks to promote traditional Chinese floristry internationally, aiming to highlight its unique techniques, philosophy, and artistic values. He hopes that integrating Chinese styles with global floristry practices will elevate recognition of China’s classical flower-arranging aesthetics on the world stage.
Together, these former champions illustrate how WorldSkills competitions have become a platform not only for individual achievement but also for cultivating skilled professionals who contribute significantly to vocational education and industry development in China.