The WorldSkills Competition, often referred to as the “Skills Olympics” was held in Lyon, France this year, gathering over 1,400 young talents from 69 countries. Among them, students from Taiwan Tech represented Taiwan across various disciplines, including general studies, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, and design. They achieved remarkable results, winning 2 silver medals, 5 bronze medals, and 10 commendations, showcasing the strength and resilience of Taiwan's young vocational talents.

Silver medalist in industrial mechanics, Chia-Yo Chuang, shared his motivation for becoming a national representative: “I wanted to be as cool as my seniors!” Starting at the age of 16, he continuously improved his skills. While he finds great satisfaction in overcoming challenges and seeing his work in action, he admitted to feeling nervous and anxious during training, often sensing his shortcomings. His dedication led him to practice diligently, and the encouragement from friends and family helped him approach the world stage with a calm mindset.

Taiwan Tech student Chia-Yo Chuang (first from left) won a silver medal in the industrial mechanics category.

Chia-Yo Chuang noted that this year’s competition included a variety of complex tasks, such as laser alignment, motor pump assembly, welding, machining, and hydraulic circuit design, etc. Many components used in the competition featured cutting-edge foreign technology, including patented designs that he had never encountered in Taiwan. This required extra time to explore and understand their characteristics. He hopes future competitors will have more opportunities to engage with leading international technologies to adapt more quickly in upcoming contests and stay connected with global advancements.

Now back on campus after the intense competition, Chuang humorously remarked that he’s getting used to listening to lectures all day, a contrast to his previous solitary routine where he barely spoke ten sentences a day. Reflecting on his experiences, he firmly believes, “As long as you are willing to work hard, nothing is impossible!” Looking ahead, he aims to pursue a career in electrical engineering and obtain a master’s degree, aspiring to pursue his goals and move forward with determination.

Chia-Yo Chuang operates laser alignment simulation equipment to conduct data measurements.

Yi-Chih Chen, who also won a silver medal for Taiwan in the industrial control category, demonstrated outstanding skills. His interest began in high school when he participated in internships related to industrial control, which led him to fully commit to practice and refine his skills through multiple competitions. Chen said that he often felt tired and stressed during the training process, and there were moments when he wanted to give up. However, his inner drive to succeed motivated him to keep pushing forward, ensuring he had no regrets.

Yi-Chih Chen from undecided major won a silver medal in the industrial control category.

Yi-Chih Chen won a bronze medal in the Asia Skills Competition last year, but he was not satisfied with that achievement. He seized the opportunity to learn from the competition and gain insights from other international participants, actively enhancing his skills and stability. Leading up to the international event, he focused on intensive training to address his common mistakes, which helped him achieve better results this time. He also noted that he was not too nervous during the competition, allowing him to fully showcase his abilities and stand out among tough competitors.

The task in this year's international competition was to design a soda factory, which required Yi-Chih Chen to simulate the installation of electrical and automation devices, including pipelines, cables, sensors, instruments, and controllers.

Yi-Chih Chen reflected on the encouragement and support he received during this time, though he also encountered some negativity. He confidently stated, “Don’t worry too much about what others think; just do what you believe is right.” He hopes to maintain his enthusiasm for new things and continue learning and improving. He also joked that he’s looking forward to relaxing and finding opportunities to ride motorcycles around Taiwan with friends to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

In addition to the two silver medalists, many other students from Taiwan Tech achieved notable results. Yong-Hsuan Lin, Wei-Hong Lai, Yuan-Zheng Jiang, and Ming-Zhe Wu, as well as Li-Heng You, and Yu-Hsuan Liu, each won bronze medals in five different categories. Meanwhile, Chia-An Yeh, Pin-Chen Lin, Kuan-Wei Liu, Wei-Cheng Lai, Tsung-Heng Lin, Yong-Jie Fu, Chih-Long Ling, Hung-Hsiang Hsueh, Chien-Kai Liao, Dong-Yang Li, Wen-Zhe Peng, and Hsuan-Li Chen earned commendations in ten categories.

Here is a summary of the award-winning students from Taiwan Tech: