India, Oct 26: The Founders and six trainers from Lend A Hand India visited the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, held last month, to observe global skills standards, emerging technologies, and industry-linked practices.
The visit aligns with Lend A Hand India’s aim to equip school students to maximise their potential through skill education by connecting school learning with practical skills and future pathways. The insights gathered in Shanghai will help the organisation reflect on how global practices can inform trainer development and make skill education more hands-on, relevant, and future-ready.
The trainers, who play a critical role in delivering practical skill education in schools, observed the competition and interacted with members of the Indian contingent. The visit offered first-hand exposure to the technical proficiency, precision and applied learning required to compete at an international level.
For Rekha Sharma, Senior Trainer for Grades 9 and 10 in Delhi, the most striking takeaway was the emphasis on learning by doing.
“I was most excited by the hands-on setups, like the automotive training rig with a direct-injection engine, turbocharger, and sensors. It showed how students learn best when they can see, touch and experiment, not just study theory.”
Across the competition’s 64 skill areas, trainers also saw how different trades are responding to technological change. “Across the 64 skill areas, some trades still rely on manual skill while others are moving to robotics, automation, and AI. As trainers, we need to prepare students not just for today’s jobs but for a future where technology keeps reshaping the work,” said Metseruyi Tetseo, Trainer for Grades 9 and 10 in Nagaland.
For Shivcharan Gaygol, Officer, Mechanical Lab at Karigar School of Applied Learning in Pune, the experience underscored what it takes to help more students reach international standards.
“The gap isn’t talent, its early exposure, regular practice, and a culture of excellence. If we build a pathway from school skill clubs to district, state and national contests, our students can be ready for the world stage.”
Karigar is an innovation of Lend A Hand India which serves as a model skill lab where everyone from the age of 6 to 60 comes to learn by doing.
“Building India’s School-to-Work Ecosystem means equipping students with practical skills, confidence, and pathways to progress. Trainers are central to that effort. Seeing global skills standards first-hand helps them understand what excellence looks like - and what it takes to help more students work towards it,” said Sunanda Mane, Co-founder, Lend A Hand India.
Lend A Hand India aims to translate global skills insights into stronger classroom practices, empowering trainers to prepare students for a changing world of work. The endeavour: make practical skill education integral to mainstream schooling and equip school students to maximise their potential through skill education.
