Ahead of World Youth Skills Day on 15 July, the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau and the Shanghai WorldSkills Competition Executive Bureau launched the “Together for WorldSkills” series of activities, bringing skills experiences into shopping centers and local communities. The campaign takes its name from “Let’s Lai Sai”, a playful expression in the Shanghai dialect. Echoing the warmth and neighbourly spirit of the city’s historic shikumen communities, it invites people to come together through skills. Its Shanghai dialect pronunciation also conveys appreciation and respect for skilled talents. Through a diverse program of hands-on skills experiences, citywide discovery activities and fun challenges, the campaign brings skills closer to the public, fosters greater appreciation for skills, and builds excitement for the 48th WorldSkills Competition.

New Skills Policy unveiled as citywide skills campaign opens at North Bund

The 2026 World Youth Skills Day celebrations officially began on the morning of 14 July in Hongkou District. Hosted at Sinar Mas Plaza in North Bund, the opening event was held under the theme “Skills Illuminate Futures, Craftsmanship Builds Dreams” and launched the Thrive in Shanghai: Skills Night School and Next-Gen Craftsmen programs.

The event also featured the launch of two new initiatives to strengthen support for skills development. The Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau unveiled the 2026 Catalogue of Special Occupational Competency Programs, covering 15 areas across integrated circuits, artificial intelligence, bio-medicine, intelligent manufacturing, elderly care and domestic services. Competency assessments will be made available to the public in phases as new programs are developed. The Hongkou District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau also unveiled the Catalogue of Priority Occupations (Trades) for Skilled Talent Support in Hongkou District. Aligned with the district’s most urgently needed occupations, the catalogue will be updated regularly and will underpin a coordinated policy framework integrating training, assessment and incentive measures. By directing support towards priority occupations, it will help encourage skills development where it is needed most and reflects a more focused, demand-driven approach to supporting skilled professionals.

During the skills dialogue session, Xianfeng Si, a National Model Worker and member of the Shanghai Youth Federation, shared her inspiring skills journey, from starting out as an beauty professional who moved to Shanghai for work to becoming a WorldSkills Beauty Therapy Competitor, a National Technical Expert and a skills coach. Hui Shen, a national reserve Competitor in Additive Manufacturing for the 48th WorldSkills Competition, also shared her experience of pursuing excellence through skills. Their stories inspired many young audiences.

The event also marked the launch of the North Bund Subdistrict’s Thrive in Shanghai: Skills Night School, bringing skills training opportunities closer to local communities. Launched earlier this March as the first program of its kind in Shanghai, Hongkou District’s Skills Night School focuses on key areas including artificial intelligence and the digital economy. Through flexible learning formats, the program enables workers to access skills training more conveniently and develop new skills through short, practical courses. To date, 35 courses, including High-Voltage Safety Protection for New Energy Vehicles, Low-Carbon Awareness Presenter, Multimedia Operations Practitioner Experience Course and Patient Care Assistant Experience Course, have attracted 876 participants.

Meanwhile, the Hongkou District Skills Challenge under the Together for WorldSkills also got under way, featuring skills demonstrations and interactive experiences across four areas: skills supporting new quality productive forces, skills for community well-being, everyday life skills, and traditional skills. Advanced technologies such as industrial robotics attracted strong public interest, while live latte art demonstrations by baristas inspired visitors to try their hand at the craft. Community-focused skills such as elderly care helped young participants discover the expertise behind everyday professions, while intangible cultural heritage crafts showcased the dedication and creativity of skilled practitioners. By bringing cutting-edge technologies with everyday experiences, and blending modern aesthetics with traditional culture, the event enabled residents to experience the diverse value and appeal of skills up close.

The event also leveraged the Sinar Mas Plaza commercial area by creating WorldSkills-inspired interactive skills zones and skills master demonstration areas inside the shopping centre. By integrating skills experiences into a public commercial space, the initiative brought skills closer to the community, allowing residents to discover the value and beauty of skills right in their neighbourhood.

Skills for everyone: Shanghai launches citywide competitions and experiences across multiple districts

As part of the World Youth Skills Day celebrations, Shanghai launched a citywide Skills Competition Engagement Series, bringing competitions and skills experiences closer to communities. Through interactive workshops, skills training programmes and online activities, the programme will build a platform where people can learn and develop skills through competition, create inclusive opportunities for everyone to experience skills competitions, and foster a culture that values skills, encourages excellence and recognizes the contribution of skilled talent.

Each district will leverage its unique characteristics and local commercial resources to organize a variety of regional skills competitions and promotional activities. Through skills demonstration areas and interactive experience zones, people will be invited to take part in hands-on activities and gain a deeper understanding of professional skills. For example, four high-skilled talent development bases in Hongkou District — including Shanghai Construction Group Co., Ltd., Shanghai Nanhu Vocational and Technical College, Shanghai Senior Technical School, and SAIC Motor Training Center Automotive Academy — will establish WorldSkills-inspired skills experience stations. Jiaxing Road Subdistrict and Quyang Road Subdistrict will also launch experience courses under the Thrive in Shanghai: Skills Night School program, bringing skills training closer to local residents.

A representative from the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau said: “Districts across Shanghai have introduced a range of distinctive skills experience activities, bringing skills closer to residents. Combining visual appeal with hands-on participation, these activities have inspired greater enthusiasm among the public to learn, practice and showcase their skills.”

Nurturing young minds through craftsmanship: Next-Gen craftspeople inspire skill dreams through immersive experiences

The 48th WorldSkills Competition embraces the concept of making skills accessible and enjoyable for everyone, with a focus on inclusive participation. To inspire more young people to discover the joy of skills, the popular Next-Gen Craftsmen program, featuring youth skills experience, has curated four themed skill experiences: Shanghai-style intangible cultural heritage, modern lifestyle aesthetics, green and low-carbon practices, and cutting-edge digital innovation. Through hands-on activities, people can explore the joy of making and experience the value and appeal of skills.

On the day, the Sinar Mas Plaza event venue was filled with excitement and enthusiasm. Young participants took on the roles of “Shanghai-style Intangible Cultural Heritage: Shanghai Fashion Designers” and “Modern Lifestyle Aesthetics: Herbal Fragrance and Care Specialists”, creating unique skills-based works under professional guidance and experiencing a strong sense of achievement. The young designers focused on learning traditional Shanghai-style qipao-making techniques, including the creation of stand collars, side slits and decorative edging. Working carefully stitch by stitch on miniature mannequins, they completed their own miniature Shanghai-style qipao creations and discovered the elegance and cultural charm of Eastern fashion. “I never knew skills could be so much fun.” “I want to experience more skills activities in the future.” “I hope to visit the WorldSkills Competition in person.” These were the shared wishes of the young participants.

On 15 July, the Next-Gen Craftsmen prograd continued at the China (Shanghai) Public Entrepreneurship Training Base, offering a range of technology-driven and immersive skills experiences. Young participants can become “electronic recycling innovators”, learning how to sort, recycle and creatively reuse discarded electronic components. By reassembling materials such as gears and screws, they can create futuristic cyberpunk-style wooden robot keychains, while gaining a deeper understanding of green, low-carbon development and the principles of circular economy. They can also become “3D creation designers”, exploring the operating principles of large-scale 3D printing equipment up close and using 3D printing pens to create three-dimensional works, discovering the limitless possibilities of digital and intelligent creation.

As part of the WorldSkills Expo, the Next-Gen Craftsmen Skills Experience Workshops will offer young visitors a wide range of immersive skills activities during the 48th WorldSkills Competition, covering themes such as artificial intelligence, digital media, aerospace, craftsmanship and design, as well as future careers and life skills. Through these experiences, the program will continue to inspire young people to explore the world of skills.

 Unlocking Shanghai’s skills culture through a stamp-collecting experience

From 15 to 17 July, the Shanghai WorldSkills Executive Bureau  introduced the “Master Skills Change Your Future — Skills Meet WorldSkills Shanghai Journey”, inviting young people and citizens to explore five skills-focused destinations across the city: the WorldSkills Museum, Shanghai Textile Museum, Shanghai Craftsman Museum, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and Pudong Library. Through a combination of offline stamp-collecting challenges and online interactive quizzes, the initiative will bring the public closer to WorldSkills, deepen their understanding of the Competition, and inspire greater passion for skills, building excitement ahead of the 48th WorldSkills Competition.

Participants  collected a WorldSkills Activity Passport at designated stops and explored the city along the suggested route at their own pace. By completing stamp-collecting tasks during their visits and hands-on experiences, they discovered the evolution of skills and innovative achievements across different fields, while experiencing how skills enrich everyday life through a unique city exploration journey.

Skills are becoming an increasingly important pathway for young people to explore the world and shape the future and as the 48th WorldSkills Competition approaches its opening on 22 September,, he continued rollout of the Together for WorldSkills series of activities will weave skills into the fabric of the city and bring them closer to people’s daily lives, enabling everyone to experience first-hand the transformative power of “Master Skills Change Your Future ”. Together, these efforts will foster a city-wide culture of anticipation for the 48th WorldSkills Competition and respect for skilled talent.