Twelve Styrians join Austria’s WorldSkills team in Shanghai

Twelve young competitors from Styria are taking part in the WorldSkills vocational world championships in Shanghai, ORF reported. Austria’s 48-member team has already arrived in China and is hoping to win medals.

The Austrian delegation departed from Vienna Airport, where parents, grandparents and friends gathered to say goodbye. The competitors will take part in disciplines ranging from baking and fashion to graphic design, logistics, mechatronics and robotics.

The opening ceremony will take place on Tuesday at Shanghai’s Mercedes-Benz Arena. Four competition days will follow from Wednesday to Saturday, with the medals awarded on Sunday.

A total of 1,400 participants from around the world will compete in 42 vocational disciplines. Austria is again considered to have good medal chances, although the world’s top skilled competitors will be taking part.

The Austrian competitors prepared for the event for several months. Robotics partners Konstantin Hauser and Marwin Kremser attended a training camp in Kazakhstan, while graphic designer Paul Bürki from Fürstenfeld travelled to Canada to prepare for the competition.

Organisers expect more than half a million visitors. Five years ago, Styria hosted the EuroSkills vocational European championships, where 400 young skilled workers from 22 countries competed. Styria was then Austria’s most successful province, winning ten medals.