As Shanghai prepares to host the 48th WorldSkills Competition from Sept 22 to 27, three young Pakistani professionals are ready to test their skills against outstanding peers from around the world while embracing Chinese culture and building friendships across borders.
Pakistani competitors ready for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026
BEIJING, Sep 17 (APP):As Shanghai prepares to host the 48th WorldSkills Competition from Sept 22 to 27, three young Pakistani professionals are ready to test their skills against outstanding peers from around the world while embracing Chinese culture and building friendships across borders.
The Pakistani delegation is led by Raja Qamar-ul-Islam, Chairman of the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC). The competitors are Mudassir Hussain for Electrical Installation, Mohid Mehboob for Cooking and Nabeed ul Arfeen Memon for Graphic Design Technology.
As the world’s biggest international skills competition, the WorldSkills Competition is known as the “Skills Olympics”, bringing together 90 member organizations reaching two-thirds of the world’s population.
The 48th edition features 64 competition projects across six major skill areas: Transportation and Logistics; Construction and Building Technology; Manufacturing and Engineering Technology; Information and Communication Technology; Creative Arts and Fashion; and Social and Personal Services. Projects range from daily necessities such as food, clothing, housing and transportation to traditional crafts, creative design and frontier technologies.
Ahead of the competition, the Pakistani competitors said their goals go beyond medals. They hope to measure their own level through skills contests with other excellent young professionals, learn new techniques and gain international experience that can serve their future careers. They also expressed strong interest in Chinese culture, looking forward to experiencing local specialties and making friends with competitors from different countries.
For Mudassir Hussain, a DAE Electrical graduate from the Centre of Excellence in Lahore and a first-time WorldSkills participant, the opportunity is a source of national pride. “I am grateful for this opportunity and feel extremely honored to represent Pakistan on the global stage. Skills give you dignity, income and the chance to represent your country.” he said in a recent interview with CEN.
“This is a chance to prove to the world that Pakistan has highly skilled talent and to enhance our national image.” Reflecting on his preparation, Mudassir added: “For the last three months, I have been training at least six hours a day with my experts and my team under competition conditions.”
Mohid Mehboob, a student at Pakistan’s College of Tourism and Hotel Management (COTHM), advanced from inter-school and inter-province culinary contests to national-level competition, earning his place at WorldSkills Shanghai. From the classrooms and professional kitchens of COTHM to a global skills competition, his journey demonstrates how practical education and professional training can open doors to international opportunities.
Pakistan’s broader efforts to equip young people with technical and vocational skills that meet international standards are also reflected in the participation of Nabeed ul Arfeen Memon in Graphic Design Technology. His team is closely following his latest training progress and competition performance. Based on analysis of his technical strengths and potential weaknesses, the team may adjust its preparation strategy in response to possible competitive pressure.
