Dialogue with society through skills
“I feel that reports of this kind should not only raise the visibility of gold medal winners. I hope they will also encourage young people who have chosen vocational education and people in all kinds of craft professions to devote themselves to the field of occupational skills.”
In January 2018, Huang and some partners formed the not-for-profit group “Skills for U.” They want to promote the concept of “using occupational skills to engage in dialogue with society,” in hopes of enabling people with different skill sets to develop novel solutions in response to different social issues.
At the end of 2018, Huang and eight competitors from international skills contests transformed an idle space beside the parking lot of Dapeng Elementary School in New Taipei City’s Wanli District into a beautiful shipping-container classroom, creating an arts space for the children. “By applying occupational skills, we can get involved with different social issues and solve various social problems, while enabling young people in vocational education to connect with social issues as they learn.”
“People with vocational skills are not only valued industrial workers, they are also an important source of talent for promoting social harmony and sustainability.” How long this road will be is still uncertain, but Huang Wei-xiang is sure he will continue to walk down it.
Yang Ting-yu brought home Taiwan’s first ever gold medal in car painting, and was voted top competitor in the national team.
Through his reporting and writing, Huang Wei-xiang has transformed society’s ideas about vocational skills, helping people in skilled trades to feel a sense of pride. (photo by Chuang Kung-ju)
Liao Yi-ting, who took gold in graphic design technology, is pictured here with with her co-medalists.