Hong Kong construction team records strongest WorldSkills haul
Nine young construction competitors from Hong Kong returned from WorldSkills Shanghai with three Medallions for Excellence, the strongest result recorded by the Construction Industry Council. The honours included the territory’s first in concrete construction, a third consecutive welding award and recognition in painting and decorating.
Hong Kong’s Construction Industry Council recorded its strongest result at the WorldSkills competition after its nine-member construction squad won three Medallions for Excellence in Shanghai. The awards went to Law Chak-sum in painting and decorating, Tse Yu-lok in welding, and Huang To-kong and Wan Tsz-ho in concrete construction work. The result marked Hong Kong’s first WorldSkills honour in concrete construction and extended the council’s run of welding honours to three successive competitions.
The 48th WorldSkills Competition closed in Shanghai on September 27. About 1,400 competitors aged 22 or under from more than 70 WorldSkills members took part across 64 skills. The council entered nine competitors in eight trades, its largest construction delegation to date.
The concrete team finished fourth overall after recovering from a failed pour. The competitors said wet concrete spilled across the slab on the third afternoon, but they rebuilt the work and recorded the highest mark in the steel-fixing section. Their performance earned a Medallion for Excellence, about 13 points behind the winners.
Tse, who entered the competition after working as a paid welder rather than as an institute student, finished 11th on 716 points. The council said he performed strongly in X-ray inspection and pressure testing. The gold medallist scored 735 points.
Law completed the group of medal recipients in painting and decorating. Other members competed in joinery and additional construction trades. The competitors had prepared for about two years, using a mock competition hall, public trial events and training with partner institutes in mainland China.
CIC executive director Albert Cheng said the competitors had exceeded their training performances. He also argued that construction companies should provide clearer career paths for skilled tradespeople, including routes into supervision and leadership. The next WorldSkills competition is scheduled for Aichi Prefecture, Japan, in November 2028.
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