Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen and our competitors,
1. Good morning! I am very happy to join you here at the send-off ceremony for Team Singapore for the 14th WorldSkills ASEAN competition.
2. This year, WorldSkills ASEAN will see close to 300 participants from ASEAN States showcasing their professional and technical skills. 32 of you will be representing Singapore to compete across 16 skills areas, from beauty therapy to mechanical engineering. You've gone through rigorous national competitions and training. Each of you has earned your place through exceptional commitment and hard work. Just getting to be in this room, wearing the uniform and representing our country in this arena is a significant achievement in itself. Well done to all of you!
3. WorldSkills is a competition. There will be ranking and prizes. But it is also a celebration of skills mastery, an important outcome and something that you provide a role model for. You have achieved skills mastery to be here, and to represent our country. WorldSkills, as an arena, is a celebration of the skills mastery that you have attained through your commitment to learning and pursuit of excellence.
4. Take for example Isaac from Temasek Polytechnic. While in his Computer Engineering course, he took up an introductory workshop on Electronics and discovered his interest and potential in this area. He demonstrated hard work in honing his skills. This has paid off when he won the WorldSkills Singapore – Electronics competition in April this year, and is going on now to represent our country. Well done, Isaac!
5. We also have Wan Julita from Republic Polytechnic, who is keen to make a mark in the hospitality industry. After completing her Higher Nitec in Hospitality Operations, she is now pursuing a Diploma in Hotel & Hospitality Management. She has also taken up work stints at various hotels to gain experience and confidence, deepening her skills and understanding of the hospitality industry. She is another example of hard work, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence. Well done, Wan Julita!
6. To all 32 Team Singapore competitors, each and every one of you represent the same pursuit of excellence and hard work, and are equally deserving. Well done, and thank you for putting in the hard work.
7. All of these stories remind us that through dedication and commitment to our craft, each of us can achieve skills mastery. This is not just about education or the competition, but part of achieving our career aspirations.
8. Our contestants also owe their success to their support networks. To the schools, coaches, industry experts and most importantly, our families, thank you for your unwavering support. Your encouragement and guidance have been key to our contestants on this journey.
9. We will continue to cheer them on together as they compete on the world stage. As Team Singapore, they will fly our Singapore flag high. Do your best, support one another, and make the most out of every experience.
10. We'll be cheering you on every step of the way.
11. Well done, and thank you very much.