East Java sends largest contingent to WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai

East Java will send seven representatives to the WorldSkills Competition (WSC) in Shanghai, China, in 2026, making it the largest provincial contributor to the 21-strong Indonesian contingent. Head of the East Java Education Office, Aries Agung Paewai, stated that this achievement reflects the quality of vocational education built through collaboration with the business and industrial world (DUDI). “We want to see the extent of vocational graduates’ competence and the implementation of cooperation with DUDI in curriculum development, so that existing competency gaps can be identified and aligned with global standards,” he said in Surabaya on Monday. The seven East Java representatives will compete in various fields, including Mechatronics, Software Applications Development, Industrial Control, Robot Systems Integration, Autobody Repair, and Heavy Vehicle Technology. Aries noted that the participants have completed training centre programmes with industry and will undergo further sparring sessions in South Korea in July 2026. Some participants also have prior experience from the WorldSkills ASEAN competition, where they won gold medals. He expressed hope that the competitors would achieve success and demonstrate the effectiveness of industry-based vocational education.