"How can a girl do this kind of work?" The only female competitor in the World Ceramic Tile Veneer Championship: You only have one life, so you might as well give it a try
"Xinyi, awesome girl!" On September 26, the tile veneer competition of the 48th WorldSkills Competition ended. After finishing the game, Hong Kong player Dai Xinyi got up and ran to her parents who had been silently accompanying her on the sidelines. She held up the flowers prepared by her father and cried with excitement.
The surrounding audience also gathered around to praise her: some cheered loudly, and some raised their mobile phones to record the moment. In this event dominated by male players, this 21-year-old Hong Kong girl with a ponytail is the only female player participating.
"About November 2024, my master said to me, do you want to try to participate in the WorldSkills Competition and give it a try?"
Looking back on her competition experience, Dai Xinyi said that her interest in ceramic tile veneers started from "giving it a try". "I originally studied construction engineering and had nothing to do with tile veneer." She studied at the Hong Kong Institute of Construction and studied a higher diploma course in building services supervision. She first came into contact with ceramic tile veneers during a two-day mud and water course, and then began to systematically learn this craft with the encouragement of her masters and teachers.
"After the trial, I found that I was a little interested or had some ability, so I decided to give it a try and participated in the competition selection." After setting her goal, her training never stopped: "At that time, every Saturday and Sunday, after reading, I would also do training." In the end, she stood out from the Hong Kong representative selection.
At the beginning of this year, Dai Xinyi qualified for the competition and entered formal training. She prepares extremely hard for the competition: she trains from Monday to Saturday every week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, and devotes almost all her time to training. During the training camp, she suffered a waist injury and wore a waist brace. After her injury improved slightly, she returned to the training ground. She squats, kneels or stands every day to operate, rarely sitting down.
Friends around her were curious and concerned after learning about her choice. "Everyone was very curious as to why I chose this field. They were all surprised, how could I, a girl, do this kind of work? Wouldn't it be tiring?" But what moved Dai Xinyi was, "But they are also very supportive of me. My family also feels that I can do whatever I want, and they encourage me to participate in this competition."
In order to prepare for the competition fully, Dai Xinyi chose to take a year off from school. She admitted that this was a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity in her life: "Because I think it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and because of my age, I won't be able to participate in the next one after participating this year."
After the competition, she said in an interview, "I am still young and don't have much social experience. I want to go out for this year. The school has this opportunity for us to go out and travel and train in various places." In her opinion, this year is far more than just skill training: "Not only did I learn different things in this skill, but it also changed a lot in my life."
When asked what advice she would like to give to young people who are also confused, Dai Xinyi said without hesitation: "Try as many as possible." She confessed that she is still on the road: "Actually, I am quite confused now, but I just happen to have this way. The school gave me this opportunity, and I have a way to show myself on this stage."
"Although I didn't do very well, at least I became one of the players in the competition. So I think if there is something, try it out. Maybe you will have different resumes and experiences, and you will find what you want."
Outside the competition, as the only girl in the ceramic tile veneer group, Dai Xinyi received a lot of attention. Netizens said, "I see more possibilities in girls." She admitted that the attention not only touched her, but also brought pressure: "Actually, it's a bit stressful. I feel that everyone seems to think highly of me. If I don't do well, I don't know what everyone will think. I will work harder and continue to work. I really appreciate everyone's support."
Cheng Dingning, Executive Director of the Construction Industry Council of Hong Kong, China, said: "The project of ceramic tile veneer requires careful calculation, carefulness, and relatively stable psychological quality. Ceramic tile tiling is a physical job. The Hong Kong Construction Industry Council gave Dai Xinyi physical training support. After one year, she successfully passed the selection and stood on the world stage."
Dai Xinyi's choice of this "hardcore" track has something to do with family influence. Her father is engaged in the water and electricity industry: "My father was originally engaged in water and electricity. Growing up, I would watch him work and sometimes accompany him to work. In fact, I always felt that he was very hardworking."
"After taking the Hong Kong Diploma Examination, I didn't have any ideas. My father said, why don't you try and see the path that others won't take. For example, if you go to the School of Construction, young people around you may choose this direction less often." Dai Xinyi said that she was a little resistant at first: "I really thought it might be really hard, but after all, I haven't thought of a way out yet, so I might as well choose it."
"Actually, when I heard them calling 'Hong Kong, Let's go', I was really touched. Because representing Hong Kong and winning glory for Hong Kong, it's a bit touching to talk about it." Speaking of her feelings on the field, Dai Xinyi burst into tears.
"I have been working hard for almost a year, and there must be some different pressures. I am also afraid that I will not do well, and my training is average, and I have not performed to my current level during the training process. So I am very happy that I exceeded my expectations in this competition. Although I may not have done very well, it is an explanation for myself."
What surprises her most is the arrival of her family: "I'm so happy that the school can invite my family to support me. They are all supporting me and applauding me. I feel really touched and happy now."
In the view of Cheng Ting-ning, executive director of the Hong Kong Construction Industry Council, the members of the Hong Kong, China team deserve the best results. "They used more than 100% of their ability to complete their projects. I am really touched. Each of them performed better than before during training."
Facing the changes brought by artificial intelligence to the construction industry, Zheng Dingning said, "Artificial intelligence can certainly speed up our work processes and reduce time. But behind artificial intelligence, there still needs to be basic data and basic technology before artificial intelligence can learn. So in addition to basic skills, our young people also need to learn modern skills."
"When we educate the next generation, we should provide them with opportunities. No matter what their grades are in school, everyone has their own talents. To choose projects that they are interested in, family encouragement is also very important."
When asked if she was tired from the competition, Dai Xinyi made no secret of it: "Of course I am. I really have to keep up with the speed. The workload is also very heavy and the things are heavy. It really took all my strength to complete this competition." She sees the future path clearly: "I will continue to study when I go back."
