(Yicai) Sept. 22 -- Contestants in the 48th WorldSkills Competition, also known as the “Skills Olympics,” are fine-tuning their equipment, familiarizing themselves with the venue and making final preparations before the competition kicks off later today. Yicai visited the main venue in Shanghai yesterday, where preparations are complete and the exhibition hall was buzzing with activity.

This year's competition, which will run until Sept. 27, features a record 64 disciplines, including seven new categories, which are rail vehicle technology, unmanned aerial systems, smart security technology, software testing, digital interactive media design, dental prosthetics technology and retail. The new categories reflect the growing importance of digitalization and intelligent technologies across industries.

The WorldSkills Competition spans six major fields, namely manufacturing, construction, information and communication, creative arts, social services as well as transportation and logistics. It includes traditional skills such as furniture making, floristry and car body repair, as well as cutting-edge disciplines such as robotic systems integration and Industry 4.0. The event serves not only as a platform for skill contests but also as a forum for global exchange on skills and vocational culture.

Participants from around the world fill the exhibition hall.

The wheels of a train carriage lie ready for the rail vehicle technology competition.

A competitor from Finland prepares his tools ahead of the furniture making competition.

Another Finnish participant checks his computer in the aircraft maintenance competition area.

Teams get ready for the 3D digital game art competition.

Editor: Kim Taylor