The contestants take a written test of the Second National Women's Housekeeping Service Competition on October 18. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

The final round of the Second National Women's Housekeeping Service Competition kicked off in Jinan, capital city of East China's Shandong Province, on October 18. After a nationwide selection process, there were 160 contestants from 32 teams who went on to compete in the event.

Finalists took a written test on October 18 and the following day, competed in skill contests including housework, mother-child nursing, elderly people's care, family meal and housekeeping training and management.

In the session of practical skills, the contestants showed their skills of taking care of the elderly in wheelchairs, changing babies' diapers, tidying up clothes and cooking nutritional and balanced meals with limited food materials.

Let's take a closer look at their wonderful performances.

A contestant spreads a tablecloth during the competition on October 19. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

A housekeeper dusts a sofa during the competition on October 19. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

A housekeeper (R) shows how to take care of the elderly people during the competition on October 19. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

A contestant (R) pacifies a baby during the competition on October 19. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

A housekeeper packs clothes into a suitcase during the competition on October 19. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

Contestants choose food materials for a family meal during the competition on October 19. [Women of China/Li Wenjie]

Contestants cook meals during the competition on October 19. [China Women's News/Yang Rui]

Gou Wenjuan from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is one of the participants in the contest for housekeeping managers. [Women of China/Li Wenjie]

In one section, a short video of a housekeeper taking care of a baby was shown to contestants, who were then required to point out the mistakes and put forward suggestions.

"The mistakes in the video are typical, and I'll use them as teaching cases to help my students avoid the same mistakes in the future," said Gou Wenjuan, a housekeeping manager in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Zhang Jinfei, a participant in the housework contest from North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region [Women of China/Li Wenjie]

Zhang Jinfei, a housekeeper from North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, noted that the competition examined the various abilities and skills of a participant, such as tidying clothes, which tested their skill in choosing clothes for employers for different occasions and the best tidying methods of different fabrics.

Chen Yanyu from Southwest China's Yunnan Province is a participant of the contest for housekeeping training. [Women of China/Li Wenjie]

It is very difficult to complete a PPT in 40 minutes and immediately deliver a 15-minute lecture, said Chen Yanyu, a housekeeping tutor from Southwest China's Yunnan Province, adding that the competition gave the contestants a demonstration of a higher professional standard and encouraged them to improve their own skills.

Chen also indicated that it is the first time that the housekeeping training has been included in the competition, signifying that the industry is receiving more attention.

"Through the competition, we hope to make the contestants aware of the requirements for the standardized, systematic and scientific development of the housekeeping industry, in a bid to help them make greater progress," said Zhang Ji, an expert from the competition's supervision and evaluation working group.

The competition was co-sponsored by the All-China Women's Federation, the National Development and Reform Commission, the ministries of commerce, human resources and social security, and Shandong Provincial People's Government. The first prize winners will be honored with the title of the National Women Pacesetter for Achievements, and national professional skill certificates will be issued to all the winners.

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)