The technical committee of the 10 th ASEAN Skills Competition convened for its first meeting on March 17 in Hanoi, focusing on logistical preparations for the event.

The contest - which will pit countries against each other to prove their skills in fields such as web design, welding, bricklaying, as well as cooking, restaurant service and fashion technology - is scheduled to take place in the Vietnamese capital from October 19-29.

During the preparation meeting, attended by more than 200 delegates representing the association’s 10 member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat, the organising board announced the exam questions for each industry after a thorough discussion.

Lists of necessary equipment, tools, materials and a map showing the arrangement of the competition venue were also made public.

Participants at the meeting, which will run until March 21, agreed that enhancing the quality of human resources is a matter of top priority for the association in the current context of increasing integration.

This goal was also mentioned in the 2010 ASEAN statement on the development of human resources and skills development for economic recovery and sustainable growth, they noted.

Ensuring an equal level of skill in industries among the bloc’s members is crucial as ASEAN approaches the establishment of a common community by 2015, they added.

The contest is expect to draw 280 contestants competing to demonstrate 25 skills, stated Cao Van Sam, deputy head of the organising board, during a press briefing on the sidelines of the meeting.

Two other preparatory meetings will be held prior to the competition, he added.

The official revealed that the Vietnamese team targets first position in the competition. The country will organise a national contest in May to choose the best representatives to join the event, he added.-VNA