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Hotel receptionist competition - 4th November 2022

The WorldSkills competition happened in Switzerland. It's a competition to test and celebrate skilled workers like receptionists, electricians and chefs. They compete to be number one at their job. 

While they show their skills, a team of experts judge them. 

Tim Oberli, from Switzerland, competed in the hotel receptionists' contest. While on holiday, he watched guests at the reception desk. He became interested in this job.

Tim Oberli: "Instead of turning to the kids club or doing anything activity-like, I took a chair, I sat in the lobby and I just observed what is happening in the lobby. I observed people at reception interacting with each other."

19 year old Oberli will compete against 15 other receptionists. He's the manager of a team of receptionists at an expensive hotel. But the competition has made him nervous.

In the competition, actors act as difficult guests with problems, which receptionists must solve quickly.

The director of WorldSkills, Jane Stokie, tells us more.

Jane Stokie: "We've got actors here, and the actors are playing the guests. In one module that's happening, there's a troublesome guest, and there's somebody booking in. And in another module, there is an ill guest."

There's also a written exam about the job. But Oberli believes that taking care of the guests is the most important thing. 

Tim Oberli: "It is very important to be flexible, to be creative, to have the ability to improvise, and to understand what the guests' needs are."

Oberli came second, but he's proud of what he did.

Tim Oberli: "It's way more than just this medal. It is about being an ambassador for my profession, it is about showing passion for what I am doing, to represent Switzerland on an international basis, and to make the profession of the hotel reception more attractive."