TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The WorldSkills Asia competition returns to Taiwan after 32 years with an event at Taipei’s Nangang Exhibition Center that showcases youth skills from around the world and highlights Taiwan’s robust vocational training and talent pool.
The three-day event, running through Saturday and organized by the Ministry of Labor, brings together 321 participants from 31 countries, per CNA. The competition covers 44 skill areas, including manufacturing, construction, ICT, transportation and logistics, services, and arts. Taiwan’s 49-member team will participate in all categories.
The event is free for the public. The venue features two interactive exhibition areas, “Formosa: The Nation of Technology” and the “Try a Skill” zone, where visitors can explore how AI and technical skills are applied across industries.
On Thursday, the ministry also held a skills education seminar, featuring domestic and international experts discussing future skills trends and emerging challenges.
At the opening ceremony, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) praised Taiwan’s technical and vocational training, noting that talent is key to national competitiveness amid global supply chain shifts and AI development. He added the government will continue promoting industry-academia integration and provide subsidy programs to support young people pursuing internships or startups abroad.
New Taipei’s Education Department said six of the city’s senior high school students will compete in software design, automotive bodywork, web design, and autonomous mobile robot design. The department also set up a booth at the event offering hands-on experiences, including fashion design, floral art, robotic arm operation, and ice cream making.
Chunghwa Telecom is providing internet and cloud services for the event. The company also set up a booth showcasing its satellite communication technology, which can provide connectivity to outlying islands, at sea, and remote areas. Its AI assistant at the booth offers customer service in 13 languages.
