Huang Maoqi, a first-year student in the Department of Hair Styling and Design at Hungkuang University, who graduated from Chiayi Municipal Dongwu Vocational High School, was selected as a national contestant for the 47th WorldSkills Competition after passing through layers of trials. Since the beginning of the semester, he has been receiving intensive daily training arranged by the Workforce Development Agency of the Ministry of Labor and Hungkuang University. In December, he will represent Taiwan to compete in the Asia Regional Competition in Abu Dhabi. He said that since 10th grade, he has been receiving contest training, hoping to stand out in the Asian competition and advance to next year’s competition in Lyon, France, to win glory for the country!

Chen Chiahui, Associate Dean of the Department of Hair Styling and Design at Hungkuang University, who began coaching Huang Maoqi this year, said that Dongwu Vocational High School teacher Lin Shujuan had patiently nurtured good fundamentals in Maoqi Huang since 10th grade. Coupled with the student’s diligent practice and mastery of various hair styling techniques, he was able to pass the regional competitions in March, the first stage of national contestant selection in July, and the second stage in September. Next, Hungkuang University will provide full assistance in training for the Asian and World Skills competitions, as well as all relevant support for the student.

畢業於嘉義市東吳高職的弘光科技大學美髮造型設計系大一學生黃茂畯通過層層考驗，獲選為第47屆國際技能競賽國手，開學至今每天接受勞動部勞動力發展署及學校安排的密集訓練，12月將代表台灣參加阿布達比亞洲賽。他說，從高一開始接受技能競賽培訓，希望能在亞洲賽脫穎而出，挺進明年法國里昂世界賽，為國爭光！

美髮系副主任陳佳惠今年開始共同指導黃茂畯，她表示，東吳高職林淑婉老師從高一開始用心良苦栽培黃茂畯，奠定下良好的基礎，加上學生勤練掌握各種美髮造型技巧，才能通過今年3月的分區賽，7月的第一階段國手選拔及9月的第二階段國手選拔，接下來，弘光會全力協助亞洲賽、世界賽的培訓及提供學生所有的相關支援。

When Huang Maoqi was in middle school, he was a basketball team player. He pointed out that his family considered that given his non-tall stature, development in basketball would likely face limitations. They suggested that he should learn a skill in high school. Additionally, his mother is a hairdresser. So he chose to enroll in the beauty program at Dongwu Vocational High School. In 10th grade, he was spotted by Teacher Lin Shujuan to become a contestant. He did not get selected in his first national skills competition. Encouraged by his teacher to give it another shot in 12th grade, he practiced more than 10 hours every day.

“I’m deeply grateful to Teacher Lin Shujuan for tirelessly analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of other contestants’ works, encouraging me to keep forging ahead and bringing out my potential. I also want to thank Teacher Chen Chiahui for continuing the training curriculum after I entered university,” said Huang Maoqi. He emphasized that repeating practice of techniques daily requires tremendous perseverance before one can demonstrate sophisticated hairstyling skills to achieve the designated men’s and women’s hairstyles and complete commercial styles within the competition time limit according to industry standards, relying on extremely familiar cutting, perming, dyeing, setting and blow-drying skills.

Huang Maoqi stressed that it is inevitable to encounter bottlenecks during the long practice process. He usually takes a break first to adjust his mood. The technical levels of contestants entering the second stage of national selection are mostly similar. The key to winning lies in perfectly presenting the thematic styling based on the photos provided by the organizer on real human models. Adjustments must be made according to the model’s face shape. It tests observance, attention to detail and subtlety. The challenges in the upcoming international competitions are greater. He will cooperate fully with the training arranged by the Ministry of Labor and university teachers, intensifying practice, hoping to achieve good results. His future dream is to open a salon to give full play to his expertise.

黃茂畯念國中時是籃球隊選手，他指出，家人考量他非高大體型從事籃球運動發展恐受到限制，建議高中要學一技之長，加上媽媽為美髮師，高中選擇就讀東吳高職美容科，高一就被林淑婉老師看中找去當選手，第一次參加全國技能競賽未獲選，高三在老師鼓勵下再拚一次，每天練習10小時以上。

「非常感謝林淑婉老師，總是不厭其煩分析別人作品的優缺點，鼓勵我再接再厲，激發我的潛能，也要感謝陳佳惠老師在上大學之後繼續接力執行培訓課程。」黃茂畯說，每天反覆練習技法需要極大耐力，才能夠發揮高度美髮技巧，達成比賽大會指定的男子髮型、女子髮型，以職場標準在賽場限時完成商業髮型的設計，靠的是極度熟稔剪髮、燙髮、染髮、整髮、吹髮等技巧。

黃茂畯強調，漫長的練習過程難免會碰到瓶頸，他通常會先休息一下調整心情。能夠進入第二階段國手選拔賽的選手技術水準都差不多，勝出最主要關鍵在於依主辦單位提供的主題造型照片，在真人模特兒身上完美呈現出來，必須依據模特兒臉型做微調，比的是觀察力、注重細節及細膩度，接下來的國際賽挑戰更大，將認真配合勞動部及學校老師安排的訓練加緊練習，希望能夠拿到好成績，未來的夢想是開一間能夠發揮專長的髮廊。