More than 60 teams competing at the 48th WorldSkills Competition visited more than 60 schools across Shanghai on 22 September, turning the Competition’s opening day into an opportunity for hands-on skills learning and cultural exchange.

At Tongji University, Competitors from SkillsUSA explored a virtual water treatment plant through Virtual Reality. The immersive training system recreates a real-world facility, allowing users to operate equipment and practice different stages of the water treatment process.

For Competitor James Cahill, the experience showed how technology can enhance technical training, making it more engaging and intuitive.

Technology was a common thread across the visits. At Shanghai Urban Construction Vocational College, the WorldSkills Luxembourg team saw robots used in intelligent construction, including bricklaying, inspection and 3D printing. At Shanghai City Science and Technology School, WorldSkills Zambia’s delegation watched students operate industrial robots and precision machining equipment, while drone demonstrations and student-made 3D-printed works showcased creative applications of emerging technologies.

The exchanges also highlighted how traditional skills are being reimagined for a new generation. At Shanghai Xingjian College, WorldSkills UK Competitors watched a lion dance performance and interacted with dancing robotic dogs. They also created personalized jade pendants featuring AI-generated designs that blended both UK and Chinese cultural elements.

Cultural experiences offered another way for Competitors to connect. SkillsAustria Competitors tried Chinese paper cutting and baduanjin, a traditional Chinese fitness routine, while WorldSkills Malaysia’s delegation explored traditional skills including ancient-book restoration and stele rubbing.

The “One School, One Member” exchange program brought WorldSkills Competitors beyond the competition floor, giving young people from different countries a chance to share skills, discover new technologies and experience Chinese culture firsthand. In Shanghai, technical excellence and cultural exchange became two sides of the same encounter.