A 21-year-old Hong Kong woman has drawn attention at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai after becoming the only female contestant in the Wall and Floor Tiling event.
Tai Hsin-i, a student at the Hong Kong Institute of Construction, has impressed those at the competition with her precision and composure in the traditionally male-dominated construction industry.
Tai is studying for a Higher Diploma in Building Services Supervision. After nearly a year of tiling training, she won the Wall and Floor Tiling category in Hong Kong's 2025 WorldSkills selection competition, securing a place at the international competition in Shanghai.
She then took a year off from her studies to focus on training.
Under the competition rules, contestants have about 22 hours over four days to complete three modules based on technical drawings.
The work involves setting out, cutting tiles, mixing mortar, laying tiles and grouting. Tai was required to complete patterns covering nearly 7 square meters.
During the competition, she was seen lifting a 25-kilogram bag of cement, opening it with a knife and pouring the cement into a bucket before using a mixer to prepare the material.
Contestants are required to cut tiles precisely, align joints and ensure surfaces are level and free of hollow spots. Tile gaps must also be kept within 1 millimeter.
The event also requires contestants to read technical drawings and complete creative pattern designs, testing both physical strength and concentration.
Speaking after the competition, Tai said she felt some pressure from the attention she had received.
“It feels like everyone thinks highly of me,” she said, adding that she worried about what people would think if she did not perform well and would therefore work even harder.
Tai said her father, who works in plumbing and electrical services, encouraged her to pursue a less conventional career path.
She said she had watched her father work from a young age and knew how demanding the job could be.
After completing the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, Tai said she did not have clear plans for her future.
Her father then suggested that she try a path that few others would take.
Although she initially worried that the work would be difficult, Tai decided to give it a try and was eventually accepted by the Hong Kong Institute of Construction.
