You can only participate once in a lifetime, and young people from all over the world compete on the same stage——
In the age of AI, why do we still need to compete for skills? (Rui Finance)
Reporter Li Jie
At the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), 64 events of the 48th World Skills Competition were fiercely competed. For skilled youth around the world, this is a once-in-a-lifetime competition.
There is the hard-core competition of industrial power, debugging codes, troubleshooting, and pursuing the ultimate precision within the millimeter of industrial machinery; there is the silent attack and defense in the digital world, capturing every hidden flaw in the maze of codes; there is the blooming of creative and aesthetic inspiration, where contestants turn fabrics into flowing art, allowing each work to show the beauty of their skills; there is also the warmth of the world of fireworks, and the fragrance of cooking and hairdressing floats across the field...
Someone asked: In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), why do we still need to compete in skills? The answer is at the World Championships.
than the ability to solve non-standard complex problems
Imagine this scene: an old man, sitting on the edge of his bed, refusing to eat.
You tried to persuade him for 10 minutes, but he still turned his head away. At this time, is patience enough? Probably not enough. You need to judge: is it the elderly person who has a problem with his swallowing function, is he depressed, is he suffering from drug side effects? Different reasons determine different care methods.
This is an important part of how competitors are assessed in the WorldSkills Health and Social Care competition. This competition is not just about completing an operation at the workstation, but also moving the real care scene into the arena. The contestants have to face a "standardized patient" played by a real person, communicate in English throughout the process, and complete a complete set of care procedures within the specified time.
In the words of Chinese experts, this project depends on whether the contestants have "judgment in their minds", "whether they have skills in their hands", and more importantly, "whether they have people in their hearts".
There is no doubt that technology is changing care: smart tableware can adjust temperature and make sounds; millimeter wave sensors can monitor vital signs without contact... but human judgment and warmth are still precious. For another example, high-risk spray painting operations are expected to be replaced by robots, but personalized home decoration still relies on manual experience; precision measurement tools have improved accuracy, but in specific scenarios such as antique buildings and the repair and construction of ancestral halls, manual masonry skills are still popular.
"AI's tool capabilities and attributes cannot be completely opposed to human professional skills. It is presupposed that if AI is capable, humans do not need to refine their skills. This premise itself is untenable." Wang Di, director of the China (Shanghai) Research Center of the WorldSkills Competition and professor at Shanghai University of Engineering and Technology, said that at present, AI is not an independent decision-maker and responsible executor. It cannot independently judge the authenticity of requirements, verify project safety, handle unexpected failures on site, and cannot bear responsibility for the final results. "The skills competition competes on people's ability to control tools, identify errors, solve non-standard and complex problems, and control quality," Wang Di said.
Selecting complex craftsmen who can master tools
Behind the smoothness and quietness experienced by passengers as the high-speed trains speed are the "repeated consultations" and "handy treatment" of maintenance personnel.
The new rail vehicle technology competition in the 48th WorldSkills Competition focuses on the troubleshooting, maintenance and debugging of train faults, which requires comprehensive capabilities in multiple fields such as mechanics, electrical, control, and data. In other words: see if the players can make accurate judgments at the intersection of multiple technical fields.
This is exactly the industry trend reflected in the World Championship event setting. There are 7 new projects in this World Championship: rail vehicle technology, unmanned aerial vehicle system, smart security technology, software testing, digital interactive media design, etc., which embodies the reshaping of professional skills by digitalization and intelligence.
In the AI era, the understanding of “skills” itself is also constantly expanding. "If traditional craftsmen competed on one skill, now craftsmen compete on 'one skill and multiple abilities.'" said Zhang Rui, deputy director of the China (Tianjin) Research Center of the World Skills Competition and the Engineering Training Center of Tianjin Vocational and Technical Normal University. For example, the Industry 4.0 project simulates the complete operation process of a smart factory, involving mechanical assembly, electrical wiring, data collection and analysis, production scheduling optimization and other technical fields; the newly added drone system competition requires players to play the triple roles of engineer, programmer and pilot at the same time.
Today, young engineers write codes and adjust algorithms, use software to define machines, and use data to drive production. This in itself is the best annotation of "skills." And those new professions that were unheard of 10 years ago have now become careers in which a group of young people can settle down and make a living. "The newly added competition items clearly reflect the wave of global industrial change, and also vividly demonstrate the new careers, new industries, and new professions that Chinese youth are engaging in in the new era." Zhang Rui believes that future skilled talents are no longer operators who repeat a single process, but complex craftsmen who can master digital tools and have the ability to solve problems across fields.
Increased global emphasis on skills
Currently, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation are accelerating, and the global emphasis on skills continues to increase. Skills development has become a priority for governments around the world.
A set of data is very representative: WorldSkills was founded in 1950 and currently has 90 countries and regions as members, covering two-thirds of the world’s population; China joined WorldSkills in 2010 and is its 53rd member. In other words, in the past 10 years or so, the organization has added more than 30 new members, which reflects the increasing global influence of WorldSkills and also reflects that more and more countries and regions recognize the importance of improving the professional skills of workers.
Francis Uhan, Chairman of WorldSkills, believes that countries are continuing to deal with technological innovation and various global problems, and the core force to solve these problems is thousands of skilled practitioners. "Behind every skill display on the field, the calm and superb strength is derived from years of concentration and hard work, and deserves to be seen and praised by the world." Wu Han said.
In this World Championship, 80 countries and regions have registered to participate, and 68 countries and regions have sent 1,385 players to participate - this is the most straightforward portrayal of the importance of skills today.
"It's like discussing, it's like polishing." The World Skills Expo has a dedicated China Pavilion. The audience can not only see the important equipment of the great country such as launch vehicles and deep-sea exploration ships, but also experience traditional cultural skills such as rubbings and restoration of ancient books. Entering the museum, a line of eye-catching characters comes into view: "The great craftsmen are the cornerstone and pillars of our Chinese nation's building."
Strengthening exchanges and cooperation with all parties to promote the development of world skills sports and better serve global economic growth and improvement of people's livelihood and well-being - this is also the strong signal China sends to the world through the 48th World Skills Competition.
