Marking International Women’s Day 2025 with one woman’s story of progress in STEM

In 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted to support gender equality and women’s rights after the Fourth World Conference on Women. It is considered one of the most significant plans for advancing women’s rights. Thirty years later, women and girls are still demanding equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal power. The message for International Women’s Day 2025 is resoundingly one of determination to “Accelerate Action”.

One woman who knows what it is like to be successful on the global stage for skills is Yuhe Jiang, an inspirational role model for other girls and women considering a future in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Looking back on her journey through skills, she recalls, “I didn’t want to be just an ordinary person for the rest of my life. I wanted to make my life more meaningful.”

Born into a family of farmers in Nanyang, Central China, with support from her parents and a belief in her abilities, she decided to study chemistry and chemical engineering. Yuhe said she struggled with the theoretical coursework despite excelling in practical applications. The learning process was gruelling, but she remembers the unwavering support of her coaches who encouraged her to consider training for the WorldSkills Competition.

She says, “My coaches paid extra attention to my theoretical knowledge. They not only stayed up late to help me overcome academic and skill problems, but also cooked meals for me when I didn’t have time to eat. They are capable of anything and can solve any problems I encountered in my studies and life. With their help, I finally overcame all the difficulties.”

Yuhe emerged stronger. Her hard work led her to WorldSkills Competition Special Edition 2022 and to Austria where she competed in Chemical Laboratory Technology. She returned home with a gold medal and a newfound determination to teach and mentor the next generation of women in STEM at her alma mater.

Among those she has guided is her protégé, Jingyi Lu, who competed at the 47th WorldSkills Competition in Lyon, France. Under Yuhe’s mentorship, Jingyi not only won a gold medal in Chemistry Laboratory Technology but she has also been selected to join the WorldSkills Champions Trust as a representative for Asia.

Through WorldSkills, Yuhe has transformed her life and broken down some of the barriers she faced as a young girl and woman.

She shares, “It took me three and a half years from the start of my skills competition journey in China to winning in Austria. During this time, my life changed completely from an ordinary worker to a WorldSkills Champion…and would go on to become a university teacher and, at 22, the youngest professor in China!”

Yuhe’s mission is to inspire young people, especially women, to embrace technical skills and forge their own paths. She believes in the boundless potential of women in STEM and encourages them to persevere, no matter the obstacles.

Her message to them is clear: “Believe in yourself – you can do it, just like I did. No matter which direction you choose or what challenges you face, persevere. You are the future of STEM and the hope for a better world. Bravely pursue your dreams, and you will surely shine in this field.”

David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International, acknowledges that there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equity. He says, “We cannot simply rely on the strength and determination of women like Yuhe. We must pay attention to her story and use it as a powerful reminder of the opportunities we need to create so we encourage more women and girls to take up training in STEM skills.”

He says, “The responsibility is with all of us to continue to deliver on the vision laid out by the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action thirty years ago and do what we can to create equity for the women and girls in our WorldSkills community. Our ambition is to make skills education and training accessible to all, and for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 we hope to welcome a record number of women onto the global stage for skills.”