Zhang did not let Zhao down as he proved to be a consistently diligent learner, absorbing a wide range of jewelry-making techniques.

"Every time I create a piece, I feel like I'm having a conversation. That connection with art brings me immense joy. Especially when inspiration strikes, or when a piece is perfectly polished, the sense of happiness is indescribable," he says.

His work began to gain recognition at various events, and won him the third prize in the 2019 candidate selection competition in Beijing for the World-Skills Competition.

In 2021, he and his classmates collectively produced a delicate brooch made of gold and zircon that featured elements including a spacecraft, a planet, and a black hole.

The detailed, complex patterns on the tiny item won his team first prize at the 1st National Industrial Design and Vocational Skills Competition in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

Zhang says he owes his progress to all the setbacks he encountered, and to weaknesses he discovered during each competition.

He still remembers Zhao telling him that results were secondary, and what was important was to observe the difference between himself and others, identify any issues, and think about how to improve.

"There's no shortcut apart from hard work to make it into the top arena," Zhang says.

Each seemingly delicate and simple piece of jewelry hides a litany of hardship and sweat.

Some pieces are composed of dozens of small, often hollow components, that require intricate sawing with a blade as thin as a strand of hair.

"If the pressure isn't right, the blade snaps," Zhang says. "The most challenging part is soldering. If you use too much solder, the joint will become overly clad, creating a bumpy surface. If you use too little, it won't hold," he adds.

Carelessness will also result in solder residue, and the welded area won't be smooth.

Since gemstones often have uneven surfaces, craftsmen can't wear gloves because that would keep them from being able to feel the variations, so they have to use their bare hands. Long periods of working bare-handed have rendered the nail of Zhang's left thumb severely deformed, as his tools scrape repeatedly against his nails.

He feels it is all worth it now that he has taken the gold at the WorldSkills Competition, which is widely deemed to be the biggest and most influential competition of its kind.

Zhang says he will pass his experience on to younger students at the Beijing Arts and Design Technology Institute, where he has been a tutor since graduating last year.

"I have always kept the education and guidance I received at the school in my heart," he says.

"If my own experience is any reference, young people should have some idea of what they are passionate about, and understand that only by being patient can they realize their value in the fields in which they excel," he says.

Zhao says that Zhang is a typical example of teenagers who have found their calling after receiving vocational education.

"As long as they find a particular interest early on, they can then plan a career path and work hard toward it, laying a solid foundation for their future professional development," Zhao says.

Over the years, China has taken a series of measures to strengthen the development of its skilled workforce, including implementing a highly skilled leading talent cultivation program, establishing a skill-oriented employment system, and promoting a vocational skill level system.

Currently, the country has over 200 million skilled workers, including more than 60 million highly skilled workers, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

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