Sign up to receive our latest updates to your email
SubscribeUseful links
The top two countries in this event were the UK and China.
The UK student utilised their familiarisation time effectively, constructing a comprehensive 3D model to experiment with essential features, also optimising shortcut keys to enhance workflow efficiency, aligning with our targeted pace objectives.
Following a structured workflow—Concept, Model, Unwrap, Texture, Animation, Engine Integration—the UK consistently demonstrated exceptional proficiency. Emphasising pace, a critical focus identified from our previous international competition (WorldSkills Special Edition 2022).
The UK score can be attributed to proficiency in all key aspects of the tasks, largely due to the emphasis on speed / pace during our training. This focus allowed the UK to check work, make corrections, and ensure the marking standards were met each day within the time allocations as set out by the competition brief.
China demonstrated a similar approach to the UK, showing efficiency and speed in their tasks. However, the Chinese competitor made some simple mistakes, which were easily corrected during additional training events leading up to WorldSkills Lyon. Despite these errors, China appeared the most impressive throughout the event, with their key point deductions occurring primarily in the technical elements. This suggests that, like the UK, they have a strong foundation but need minor adjustments to optimise their performance.
All experts present at the event primarily came from teaching backgrounds, and none indicated having significant industry experience. This situation highlights the UK’s advantageous position, as our coaching team, possesses extensive industry expertise. This ensures that feedback and development are aligned with the latest industry standards and advancements.
It appears that there is a diverse range of personal continuing professional development (CPD) among the students in attendance, with some still relying on older techniques that do not seem to be evolving. In contrast, the UK are in a unique and advantageous position, having a UK-based studio actively supporting and coaching our UK competitor in this event. This provides a significant edge in terms of both training and performance enhancement. The studio’s involvement ensures that our competitor benefits from cutting-edge techniques and guidance, setting a higher standard of preparedness and adaptability.
|
Country: China |
|
Chinese students practically train full time for between 3-4 years leading up to the international competition. The student has a team of expert trainers around them, who focus on various aspects of the WorldSkills Occupational Standard meaning that individuals selected for international competition is as fully rounded in their training and preparations leading up to WorldSkills International. Interestingly, China’s expert who attends the competition and supports their competitor is not one of the specialist trainers who will have trained the student leading up to the competition. This is in stark contrast to the UK model whereby the training manager is with the student every step of the way in the process. China appears to have a very strong approach to selecting students for international competitions with a large pipeline of potential competitors for each international competition to choose from. Whilst the Chinese competitors do not appear to display as much of a natural problem-solving flair compared to other high performing nations, because of the high intensity and specialist training they receive, they are able to methodically work through issues that arise which would appear to occur through scenario-based outcomes training that they receive. Chinese students are also repeatedly pressure tested via controlled assessments with a short turnaround on feedback and response which can then be repeated as and when necessary. |
The competition is still young and developing, although the discussions had with experts during WorldSkills Lyon 2024 suggest there is still much to be done to modernise, clarify and better assess the students.
We need to maintain focus on the individual aspects (ie modelling, then sculpting, then texturing etc.) and ignore some of the higher-level processes that run across the individual aspects – the marking scheme did not award marks for such processes during WorldSkills Lyon 2024.