A total of 3,881 volunteers pledged to serve the 48th WorldSkills Competition at a swearing-in ceremony held at the Friendship Hall of the Shanghai Exhibition Center on Sept 17.

The volunteers, dressed in vibrant orange uniforms, will be deployed to posts across the competition areas for the world's premier vocational skills competition.

WorldSkills International CEO David Hoey paid tribute to the volunteers and expressed his hopes for them in a video address, emphasizing that the volunteers are essential to the event's success.

The ceremony unveiled the volunteers' official nickname, "little oranges", which follows the tradition of "little leaves" at the China International Import Expo and "little cabbages" at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.

The name draws from the vibrant orange of their uniforms and also evokes the idea of planting seeds for success, while the slogan "Skills Bring Us Together" conveys a spirit of crossing boundaries and moving forward together.

A 700-square-meter volunteer space opened at the ceremony and will welcome all volunteers from Sept 22 to 27, hosting champion meet-and-greets and intangible cultural heritage experiences across four functional zones.

Volunteers have an average age of about 21. The team includes 108 language volunteers, 29 international students and five international volunteers, providing multilingual support throughout the event.

Volunteers have completed municipal-level specialized training and have been assigned to various departments based on 72 service scenarios, where they are now receiving role-specific training. They will later undergo venue-based practical training to familiarize themselves with routes, operating procedures, and emergency protocols, helping ensure efficient and orderly event operations. 

Source: Jiefang Daily