President Chen Shui-bian received the group of participants to the "38th WorldSkills Competition" this morning. Besides congratulating them for their outstanding performance in the competition, the president also hopes that they could pass their experiences to the younger fellow students so that more youngsters could take them as a model and accept the challenge of pursuing a new career by way of taking professional training or vocational education.
The president's speech is as follows:
I am delighted to meet you, gentlemen, the participants, referees, teachers and co-workers, who were in Helsinki to take part in the "38th WorldSkills Competition." Besides expressing my sincere praise to the participants for their outstanding performance, I would also like to express my gratitude to all the agencies and parties who took part in the training and sponsoring of the event.
Taiwan has joined the International Vocational Training Organization since 1970. Starting from the "20th WorldSkill Competition," Taiwan has been participating in this international competition that takes place every two years, with the government and the civic sector putting all the resources in making preparations for the event.
This year, you have won one gold medal, two silver medals and four bronze medals as well as ten medallions in the competitions that drew 678 participants from 38 countries. All of you are experienced contestants as you have to go through preliminary, district contest and national contest before being qualified to join this international event. With your final victory in the international arena, it is a feat that is also a glory for the nation.
I have heard a little anecdote over the competition this year. Since Finland and the People's Republic of China share official diplomatic ties and that China has become an observer country at the competition, they have of course restricted the Taiwan team from carrying the ROC national flag to the field. However, regardless of this pressure, our participants still found a way to bring our national flag to the opening ceremony. This act of patriotism is the pride of our country.
Taking this as an example, Taiwan is indeed encountering very big pressure in the international community. Considering the situation, we should even rely more on ourselves. Besides speeding up our industry's competitiveness so that the country's economy could be more international-oriented, we also have to give more stress to the variety and flexibility of our vocational training to conform to international standards. At the same time, efforts should be made to promote lifelong learning, wider public participation and holding of various kinds of vocational training for the ultimate objective of achieving economic growth.
Among the participants of this "38th WorldSkills Competition," some are just junior high school students, while others are students from vocational school, technology institute, technology college and university. You are the new blood of society. I hope that after you go back to school or to your job, you could pass the experience to your younger fellow students or fellow workers so that more youngsters could take you as a model and decide to take vocational training as a means to prepare themselves for a new career.
I believe that "every profession produces its best." Only through patience and perseverance could one make things done. No matter whether it is in the trade of making reinforced concrete structure, complexed machinery or dress-making, you can always turn in a good report card.
Finally, I urge you "not to be conceited by your success or frustrated by your failure," but to keep on striving to reach your goal.