Representatives from the Shanghai Technology and Innovation Vocational College clinched the gold medal in the Industry 4.0 category at the 47th WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France.

Lu Junwei and Xie Huixuan also earned the “Albert Vidal Award,” China’s first win in this category.

The WorldSkills Competition grants the “Albert Vidal Award,” named after the founder of the WorldSkills Organization, to the top scorer in all categories. This year, Lu and Xie’s team outperformed all Competitors to win the honor.

Industry 4.0  is a team event that focuses on the integration of smart digital technology in manufacturing and industrial processes.

Participants must be knowledgeable about mechanical automation, networking, and industrial software, as well as have excellent organizational, communication, design and troubleshooting abilities.

This year’s competition attracted contestants from 21 countries, including Switzerland, Germany, and  Korea, and marked China’s debut in the Industry 4.0 category. Lu, 23, focused on computer information, while Xie, 20, worked on mechanical electrical automation modules.

Both had previously earned silver medals in the national skills competition and placed first in assessments for the national training team, guaranteeing their spots to represent China.