Disabled people take skills route to success

Policy support, funding and legislative changes are improving their lives

Born with no left hand and a malformed forearm, 38-year-old Yu Sha was raised in a Shanghai orphanage.

After finishing school, he was admitted to a vocational college in 2006 to study information technology. He soon discovered that fending for himself outside a supportive environment was a major challenge.

"I was not fit to function in society at the beginning," Yu recalled. "I didn't even know how to take a taxi or the subway."

After graduating from college, Yu secured a low-paid job but was not content wasting his time doing unfulfilling work. "I started to take skills-training courses and made every effort to improve my education," he said.

In 2011, Yu obtained a bachelor's degree in business management from Shanghai Jing'an District College, and in 2019, he earned a degree in software engineering from Shanghai Open University.

His persistent efforts to advance his knowledge and overcome his disability were rewarded in June when he came first in the cybersecurity section at the Seventh National Vocational Skills Competition for the Disabled held in Jinan, Shandong province.

"I was told by the coaches and judges that I looked very calm during the competition," Yu said.