With its integration into the world economy and increasing demand for professionals, China is beginning to see vocational education as important to maintaining its fast-pased economic growth. China's Ministry of Education recently announced that the Chinese government will be putting more effort into promoting such training programs. CRI's Yixiu takes a close look.
 Over the next 5 years, China will earmark 14 billion RMB, or around 1.8 billion USD, in the financial budget towards developing the country's vocational education system. According to the Vice Minister of Education, Wu Qidi, the money will be used to build more vocational schools and establish more scholarships throughout the country.
Meanwhile, 800 million RMB of the funds will be used to support poor students in completing their studies at such schools.
"This money, together with the financial help from the local government, schools, and society will ensure 20 percent of the students studying in middle vocational schools with support of all kinds. This will also help such schools to recruit more new students and promote a more complete education."
At present, there are 16 thousand vocational schools in China, with millions of graduates every year. Generally speaking, they can be categorised into two types: middle vocational schools which are on the same level as high schools in China, and advanced professional schools offering knowledge and skills at a higher level. The average employment after graduation from such schools is even higher than that of people with bachelor degrees.
However, with the deepening of China's economic reforms and industrial restructuring, vocational education in China is facing new challenges, in that it can't meet the market demand. Statistics show that professional technicians in the country currently only make up 3.5% of all workers, far lower than its counterpart in developed countries, which is 20 to 40 percent.
In order to further develop vocational education in China, educational organisations in the country are also trying various new teaching methods. More work experience opportunities are offered to students while they are studying. Students can not only choose the subject they are interested in, and get relevant work experience, they can also get paid by the companies and sign employment contracts after they finish the courses.
In China's southern province of Hunan, 38 vocational schools are now offering such courses. Yang Dongliang is the head of the Hunan Vocational College of Technology. He says the school has developed work partnerships with five companies so far.
"We look for students based on the needs of employers. Therefore our students are guaranteed a job even before they graduate. There's no problem with their employment. Next year we are planning to recruit 2000 students."
Such projects are also welcomed among employers. Cai Yan is manager of a restaurant in Changsha, Hunan's capital city.
"We always send out our human resources people to give lectures. After the training, the students get on with the job and the company very easily. They usually get used to our work environment within five days or so."
According to the Ministry of Education, other plans to promote China's vocational education system include introducing more practical teaching methods, raising the hiring qualifications for teaching staff, expanding teaching content, and establishing more international cooperation projects.
Yixiu, CRI News.
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