The skills competition serves as a crucial stage to showcase Taiwan's vocational training achievements. The Ministry of Labor regularly organizes the National Skills Competition to select outstanding young talents to participate in the biennial international skills competition, bringing honor to the country. In this year's selection of representatives, Taiwan Tech had a total of 6 students who stood out among many skilled individuals, securing positions. Among them, Guan-Wei Liu, a third-year student majoring in Mechanical Engineering, was selected as the representative in the “CAD Mechanical Design and Drafting” category. He will represent Taiwan and compete in the Asian Skills Competition held in Abu Dhabi on November 27th. Moreover, he will travel to Lyon, France in September next year (2024) to participate in the international skills competition, competing alongside top talents worldwide. Guan-Wei Liu expressed his aspiration, stating, “I hope to proudly raise Taiwan's flag on the award podium and let the world know about Taiwan's technology!”

Guan-Wei Liu from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Taiwan Tech.

Guan-Wei Liu began to think about how to acquire a specialized skill while attending the National Caotun Commercial & Industrial Vocational Senior High School. At that time, he met a teacher who explained the prospects of mechanical drawing as a career path, highlighting its relatively high salary. Motivated by this, he chose the field of CAD mechanical design and drafting and embarked on the path of competitions with encouragement from his teacher. To date, Guan-Wei Liu has participated in three national skills competitions and achieved the gold medal in CAD mechanical design and drafting at the 2020 National Skills Competition.

However, Guan-Wei Liu didn't want to rest on his laurels. He aimed to become a representative and continued to push forward. Each competition and exchange was a learning opportunity and a chance for growth for him. Despite encountering numerous setbacks along the way, he reminded himself to “give it his all and have no regrets”. With this dedicated attitude and relentless effort, he successfully qualified for the national team. Guan-Wei Liu expressed that upon being selected, he felt a sense of relief, thinking, “Finally, I can contribute to Taiwan's glory”. After taking a brief moment to catch his breath, he immediately immersed himself in intensive training for the Asian Skills Competition.

Upon entering the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Taiwan Tech, Guan-Wei Liu mentioned that mandatory courses in dynamics contributed significantly to his understanding of mechanical structures, which proved beneficial as the competitions often included elements of mechanical design. Furthermore, general education courses helped enhance his communication and presentation skills, providing assistance both in daily life and for his future career.

Liu Guan-Wei from Taiwan Tech's Department of Mechanical Engineering utilizes CAD software to design 3D engineering drawings.

Guan-Wei Liu mentioned that in recent years, the scope of CAD mechanical design and drafting has expanded significantly. The types of tasks in international and national competitions also differ. He likened it by saying, “The national competition is more like drawing a machining tool, while the international competition requires depicting the entire concept of a factory within the same timeframe”. Due to the varied nature of the tasks, it's challenging to predict this year's direction based on past tasks. Therefore, adapting to the changes in task types requires investing more time.

In preparation for the upcoming WorldSkills Asia Competition, Guan-Wei Liu chose to take a leave of absence from his studies to fully focus on training. He practices from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, then spends time reading competition-related books and standards until 10 in the evening, maximizing every minute of practice time and opportunity. As the WorldSkills Asia Competition's content aligns with the international competition's tasks, comprehensive training is necessary. This includes mastering every function of the software, staying updated on the latest ISO standards, and enhancing English proficiency to ensure readiness for the diverse tasks. Guan-Wei Liu hopes to seize the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure a medal for Taiwan.

Guan-Wei Liu, who holds himself to high standards and pursues perfection, said, “Every effort is made to become a better version of oneself. It's an endless path of learning in the realm of technical skills”. He focuses on training his on-the-spot response and judgment abilities in the competition arena, reflecting on mistakes to improve continually. His progress has been an accumulation of consistent effort. He eagerly anticipates living up to expectations, whether in the Asian or international arena, striving to achieve remarkable results for Taiwan.

The topics in the international skills competition include 3D physical models, engineering drawings, image graphics, animations, steel structure welding, sheet metal unfolding, physical mapping, design modifications, and 3D printing, among others. The image shows Guan-Wei Liu using a 3D printer to print the parts he designed.