Teachers duo win top 'Albert Vida Award' at WorldSkills

Shanghai Technology and Innovation Vocational College clinched the gold in the Industry 4.0 category at the 47th WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France.

Lu Junwei and Xie Huixuan also snatched the "Albert Vida Award," China's first win in this category and only the second time this distinguished accolade was bestowed.

The WorldSkills Competition grants the "Albert Vidal Award," named after the founder of the WorldSkills Organization, to the top scorer in all categories. This year, Lu and Xie's team outperformed all competitors in the Industry 4.0 category to win the honor.

The Industry 4.0 competition is a team event that focuses on the integration of smart digital technology in manufacturing and industrial processes.

Participants must be knowledgeable with mechanical automation, networking and industrial software, as well as have excellent organizational, communication, design and troubleshooting abilities.

This year's competition attracted contestants from 21 countries, including Switzerland, Germany and South Korea, and marked China's debut in the Industry 4.0 category. Lu, 23, focused on computer information, while Xie, 20, worked on mechanical electrical automation modules.

Both had previously earned silver medals in the national skills competition and placed first in assessments for the national training team, guaranteeing their spots to represent China.