On October 19, the National Sports Industry Vocational Skills Competition Finals kicked off at the National Olympic Sports Center in Beijing. This year’s competition features representatives from 30 provinces and regions, alongside teams from various government agencies, with a total of 359 contestants ready to showcase their skills over the next three days. The competition will unfold through four main events and 22 different skill categories, highlighting the exceptional talent and professional demeanor of high-skilled personnel in the sports sector.
This year’s competition arrives at a time when China is experiencing a dual achievement of excellent performance in the Paris Olympics and a rapid advancement in building a strong sports nation. The event includes two formal categories: “Social Sports Guidance (Fitness)” and “Swimming Lifeguarding,” along with two challenge events: “Sports Nutrition Guidance” and “Fitness Dance Guidance.” This setup offers the most diverse range of events seen in previous competitions.
By integrating professional skill competitions into the sports industry, this event differentiates itself from traditional athletic contests and mass participation activities. It establishes a novel format for sports competitions, which holds significant importance in fostering skilled talent in the sports sector, enhancing public fitness services, and elevating the social recognition of the multifaceted benefits of sports.
The National Sports Industry Vocational Skills Competition launched in 2013 under the theme “Training Skills for the Job, Serving Public Fitness.” Since then, it has been held every two years. Over the past decade, the event has developed into a comprehensive competition system, with the national competition leading the way and provincial contests providing a strong foundation. This framework has spurred over 300 local skill competitions and involved more than 210,000 frontline workers, leading to the recognition of seven recipients of the “National May 1 Labor Medal” and 270 provincial honor award winners.
In recent years, provincial sports authorities, in collaboration with trade unions and human resources departments, have utilized these vocational skills competitions as a platform to bolster the training and development of skilled talent in the sports industry. This initiative promotes learning through competition, training through competition, and practice through competition, thus providing a stage for outstanding sports talents to pursue their dreams. These skill contests serve not only as a training ground but also as a crucial indicator for talent development, ensuring a robust talent foundation for the ongoing journey towards a stronger sports nation.
