A gap of less than 0.1 millimeters. Six and a half years of training. That's what it took for Huang Bolin to reach the top of the WorldSkills podium.
Growing up in his family's furniture shop, Huang developed an early interest in woodworking. After enrolling at Guangzhou Light Industry Technician College, he shifted his focus from furniture making to joinery, a move that meant starting over with a completely different set of skills.
"I wanted to push beyond my comfort zone," Huang said. "Real progress begins with the courage to change."
At the 47th WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France, competitors had 22 hours over four days to build a complex wooden window structure. Every joint had to fit with extraordinary precision. Huang's work earned him a gold medal for China.
Today, Huang teaches the next generation of skilled professionals, combining traditional mortise-and-tenon craftsmanship with modern manufacturing standards.
For Huang, preserving tradition does not mean repeating the past; it means giving ancient craftsmanship new life through today's skills.
Reporter: Xie Maishi
Source: Human Resources and Social Security Department of Guangdong Province
