A participant welds at the competition site. [Photo/Baotou news network]

CNC lathe workers program at the competition site. [Photo/Baotou news network]

Housekeepers test their parenting skills. [Photo/Baotou news network]

Judges review masonry competition entries. [Photo/Baotou news network]

The first "Craftsman Cup" employee vocational skills competition of Baotou – located in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region – kicked off on July 17.

The purpose of the competition is to further improve the skills and technical level of employees and contribute to the city's transformation into a "city of craftsmen".

After more than three months of preparation for the event, a total of 10 types of competitions including those for welders, electricians and fitters, were set up. The competition is divided into two parts: a knowledge test and a practical test. The knowledge test accounts for 30 percent of the total score, while the practical test accounts for 70 percent.

According to Yin Xiaomei, minister of economic affairs of the Baotou federation of trade unions, the competition is the city-level occupational skills competition with the highest standards, most types of categories, largest number of participants, most rewards, and widest coverage of the industry in Baotou in the past 20 years. A total of 693 contestants from across the city made it to the final round.

At the same time, the online registration system of "famous teachers teach apprentices" in the city was launched, providing employees with on-the-job training.