On the western coast of West Africa, the Guinea Rio Tinto Simandou Railway project is currently under intense construction. This project serves as an important link in the friendly cooperation between China and Guinea, as well as the Belt and Road Initiative, and is set to become a new engine for local economic growth upon completion.
Simultaneously, 40 students from Guinea are receiving training at the Tianjin Railway Vocational and Technical College. They hope that through three months of intensive study, they will master key railway construction techniques and become the backbone of the Simandou Railway project in the future.
On November 11, instructors guided Guinean students in using railway gauges at Tianjin Railway Vocational and Technical College.
“We are fully committed to studying advanced railway construction technologies from China and hope to bring these practical skills back to our country to contribute to railway development,” said Guinean student Du He with enthusiasm.
In recent years, China’s vocational education has continuously expanded its international “circle of friends,” contributing Chinese wisdom to global economic development and skilled talent cultivation. From November 20 to 22, the 2024 World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference, co-hosted by the Ministry of Education, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, and the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government, was held in Tianjin. Over 600 foreign guests attended, including more than 40 at the ministerial level, highlighting China’s influence and mobilization capacity in the field of global vocational education.
By building an international platform for vocational education exchange and cooperation, providing international educational public goods, and sharing China’s vocational education standards and solutions, Chinese vocational education is now “running towards” the world, empowering the future with innovation and shaping lives with skills.
“Everyone Can Become Talent” Becoming Reality
Zhou Xuehui, a student from the School of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Tianjin Vocational University, holds multiple roles. She is a key member of the Tianjin Student Union, head of an innovative entrepreneurship project, and the founder of a small business.
After the college entrance examination, Zhou proactively chose to enroll in a vocational college based on her scores. “I firmly believe that as long as I master a skill, I can find a good job and have a bright future,” she said.
Upon enrollment, while completing her studies, she actively participated in the school’s innovation and entrepreneurship projects. Under the guidance of her teachers, she delved into the technical research of separation and purification equipment in the chemical industry. With solid technical expertise, she and her classmates began their entrepreneurial journey.
On November 12, teachers at Tianjin Modern Vocational Technology College guided students at the unmanned aerial vehicle integration practice center. (Photo by Zhao Zishu)
In China, vocational education no longer produces “second-class” talent; the belief that “everyone can become talent” is gradually becoming a reality.
Tianjin, as a “highland” and “benchmark” for vocational education in China, has been exploring the “Tianjin model” of vocational education development in recent years. It has been designated as the first “National Vocational Education Reform Pilot Zone” by the Ministry of Education, the only “National Vocational Education Reform Innovation Demonstration Zone,” and a “National Modern Vocational Education Reform Innovation Demonstration Zone.”
To achieve good employment outcomes, the direction of talent cultivation must align with industry needs. Tianjin’s vocational colleges aim to align enrollment plans, program settings, and training programs with local talent shortages.
Li Li, Director of the Vocational Education Department of the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission, stated that to serve Tianjin’s “1+3+4” industrial system, vocational education has established national-level industry-education joint entities in biomedicine and information technology, focusing on key industries such as integrated circuits, automotive equipment, and the digital economy.
The depth of practical skill training for talent in Tianjin is continually expanding. In early 2024, the first batch of students from Tianjin Vocational Technical Normal University began a month-long immersive training at the Intelligent Manufacturing College. One of the partner companies, Dafu Technology (Anhui) Co., Ltd., shared its self-controlled technologies and open-source innovation incubation platform from years of experience in manufacturing filters, CNC machine tools, robotics, and industrial software, with 13 frontline engineers guiding the training.
The stories of “skills shaping lives” are increasingly diverse in Tianjin. The National Vocational Colleges Skills Competition, established and successfully held since 2008, continues to this day, with many award winners becoming technical backbones of companies or even national craftsmen. In 2022, Tianjin successfully hosted the first World Vocational Technical Education Development Conference, creating a new platform for vocational education development.
The development of vocational education talent is no longer “restricted.” Tianjin has not only nurtured vocational teacher training institutions, such as Tianjin Vocational Technical Normal University and China’s first applied technology university, Tianjin Sino-German Applied Technology University, to continuously supply quality resources for vocational education, but has also advanced vertical integration of vocational and general education.
Currently, Tianjin is piloting comprehensive high school reforms in five secondary vocational schools to meet students’ diverse talent needs. The pathways for student success have expanded, breaking the “ceiling” of vocational education and becoming an important choice for students pursuing further studies at the secondary, higher, and master’s levels.
“Centered around national strategic layouts and Tianjin’s ‘One Base and Three Areas’ positioning, Tianjin is accelerating the construction of a vocational education system that integrates vocational and general education as well as industry-education integration, continually enhancing the alignment of supply and demand in education, the precision of talent cultivation, and the contribution to development,” said Luo Yan’an, Deputy Director of the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission.
Luban Workshop as a “Golden Card” for Vocational Education
Twenty-year-old Thai student Wan Xinchun has fallen in love with China after studying here for just over a year.
“Learning is fun, the facilities are complete, and the teachers are friendly,” he said in Chinese. Wan Xinchun is from the Provincial Technical College of Thailand, where the world’s first Luban Workshop, founded by China, was established in 2016. This important platform has allowed Wan Xinchun to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese vocational education, prompting him to study at Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College.
“At the Luban Workshop, I not only encountered advanced training equipment but also fell in love with the teaching model that balances theory and practice, which is why I came to study in China,” Wan Xinchun said. At Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College, he is studying Mechatronics, the school’s “flagship program.” After graduation, he will receive diplomas from both his Chinese and Thai vocational schools, adding more opportunities for his future employment.
Still yet to graduate, Wan Xinchun is already planning for his future. “I’m still debating whether to pursue further studies in China after graduation or return to work for a Chinese enterprise in Thailand. I love Chinese skills education, but the development prospects and salaries in Chinese enterprises are also very attractive.”
His classmate, Nadiya, focuses on mastering Chinese technical vocabulary during her skill learning process. “I want to become a professional technical translator when I return home, and the income should be good.”
Wan Xinchun’s teacher, Huang Keying, is also Thai. Eleven years ago, she came to Tianjin University on a Chinese government scholarship to pursue her master’s degree and decided to stay on as a teacher at Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College after graduation.
“I’ve achieved a ‘double harvest’ in China,” Huang Keying said. “Not only do I have an ideal job in China, but I’ve also found love with a Chinese vocational education teacher.”
Recent statistics presented by Hua Yuxiang, the principal of Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College, reflect the international development path of a Chinese vocational institution.
In 2016, Tianjin Bohai Vocational Technical College co-founded the Luban Workshop with the Provincial Technical College of Thailand and has since established partnerships with over 50 schools in Thailand. The Thai Luban Workshop has trained over 1,800 local students and enrolled over 390 international students. Additionally, it has impacted ASEAN countries, facilitating the exchange and training of over 23,500 students and 700 teachers.
Twenty-five-year-old Ethiopian youth Hanok has a different story. During a competition lasting over 11 hours, he alternated between cutting pipes according to blueprints and climbing up and down a ladder. Hanok did not expect to achieve the best result among all African competitors in his first international skills competition.
As a teacher at a vocational school in Ethiopia, Hanok registered for the “Belt and Road” World Skills Competition held in Chongqing, China. Before the competition, he received training from Jiang Jiang, the Chinese head of the Luban Workshop in Ethiopia, learning how to operate intelligent equipment, and went to Tianjin Vocational Technical Normal University for final preparations.
The Luban Workshop established in collaboration with the Federal Vocational Training Institute of Ethiopia has been designated by the African Union headquarters as a high-quality technical skills training center for African countries, providing high-level vocational teacher training and skills assessment for East African nations.
As the Chinese liaison for the Luban Workshop in Ethiopia, Jiang Jiang has been stationed overseas for over ten years and has trained more than 1,500 foreign “craftsmen.” According to the “Ethiopian Herald,” there was previously a lack of vocational technical education and training in Ethiopia, and the Luban Workshop has filled this gap through local collaboration.
The Luban Workshop has now become a “golden card” for China’s vocational education “going abroad.”
Since its establishment eight years ago, the Luban Workshop has trained skilled personnel familiar with Chinese technology, craftsmanship, and products in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, effectively serving national diplomatic objectives and enhancing the international influence of Chinese vocational education.
Li Li noted that from 2016 to the present, Tianjin has established 24 Luban Workshops in 23 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe. By integrating academic education with skill training, a total of 22,000 people have engaged in degree education and 35,000 in vocational training, covering secondary, higher, undergraduate, and master’s levels. More individuals are acquiring skills for a sustainable livelihood through the Luban Workshops, and the employment rates of graduates from overseas partner schools have significantly increased.
Jing Hongyang, Executive Deputy Secretary of the Tianjin Municipal Education Work Committee and Director of the Education Commission, stated, “In the future, Tianjin will focus on advancing the construction of Luban Workshops and improving sustainable development capabilities to further contribute to building a strong educational nation and creating a major global education center with the power of Tianjin’s vocational education.”
“Teaching Fishing” Contributes Chinese Wisdom
Alongside the cultivation of vocational talent, Chinese enterprises are also “going abroad.” Currently, the Luban Workshops collaborate with over 120 Chinese enterprises, providing localized human resource support for leading industry players. The Luban Workshops in Djibouti and Thailand have trained talents for the Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway and the China-Thailand Railway projects, while those in South Africa, Kenya, and Russia have cultivated ICT professionals to meet the localized employment needs of Chinese companies overseas. The Luban Workshop in Tajikistan has established a collaborative education alliance with over ten Chinese enterprises to continuously supply talent for their overseas development.
“Chinese vocational education is becoming a window for cooperation between China and other countries, contributing to the cultivation of skilled talent worldwide,” said Zheng Qingchun, president of Tianjin Vocational Technical Normal University, who has long participated in the construction of Luban Workshops.
Only by truly understanding the new demands for skilled talent in global development can we formulate more effective talent cultivation programs. Yang Yan, Deputy Director of the Tianjin Luban Workshop Research and Promotion Center, stated that the creation of the Luban Workshop brand adheres to this philosophy. The Luban Workshop consistently emphasizes “teaching fishing rather than giving fish,” training a group of overseas professional teachers while also developing “golden courses and golden textbooks.” Over 100 internationalized specialized courses have been created in areas such as intelligent manufacturing, railway transportation, and traditional Chinese medicine, with 145 bilingual textbooks published and 420 training manuals developed.
“This exploration has also received recognition from many foreign teachers and students,” Yang noted, adding that the 14 major categories of 60 specialized programs co-developed by the Luban Workshop have all been integrated into the national education systems of partner countries, with 16 internationalized professional standards from projects in Thailand, Cambodia, Djibouti, Kenya, and Uganda certified by the respective governments.
In recent years, the global recognition of Chinese vocational education has continuously increased. Irina Andreeva, a Russian teacher from Tianjin Foreign Studies University, believes that Chinese vocational education blends ancient Eastern wisdom with the spirit of craftsmanship, gaining increasing attractiveness and influence. Chinese vocational education programs have launched overseas projects in many countries, including the Luban Workshop and vocational training, which have been well received by local populations.
“I am very optimistic about the prospects for vocational education cooperation between countries. Different countries can leverage their respective advantages, promote resource sharing, and absorb and transform quality resources to assist in the globalization of vocational education,” said Irina Andreeva.
Practical measures are deepening cooperation and exchanges in vocational education between China and foreign countries. To strengthen mutual learning and integration among vocational education systems worldwide, the first World Vocational Technical Education Development Conference held in 2022 issued an initiative to establish a World Vocational Technical Education Development Alliance.
According to An Yan, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Education International Exchange Association, after two years of efforts, the preparations for the alliance have been successfully completed. Institutions from 89 organizations, including higher education institutions, vocational technical colleges, industry enterprises, and educational organizations from 43 countries and regions across five continents, will join the alliance as its first members. During the World Vocational Technical Education Development Conference, the alliance will hold its first general assembly, adopting the alliance’s charter and electing its first council.
“The world of vocational education needs more cooperation like this,” said You Fangda, President of the ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology and President of Malaysia’s Raman University. “Sharing wisdom and experience that benefits the globe to jointly promote the development of global vocational technical education is what China is striving to achieve.”