Vocational education making huge progress in China, says German expert

China had over 11,000 vocational schools as of 2023, including technical schools, with nearly 35 million students enrolled.

BERLIN, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's development of vocational training has made great strides, said Jan Heinze, president of Heinze Academy, during a recent interview with Xinhua, adding that the speed of China's progress impressed him the most.

"While other countries are still considering how to improve their vocational education systems, China has already trained a batch of excellent teachers," said Heinze, representing the Hamburg-based vocational training institute with an 87-year history.

Having visited many vocational institutes in China, Heinze noted significant progress. "Ten years ago, when the first Chinese delegations visited our academy, we had to explain basic concepts. Now, the teachers coming to us ask challenging, insightful questions," he said. "It's now more of a two-way exchange, as both sides have much to learn from each other."

Since 2012, the Heinze Academy has conducted over 20 training programs for teachers from China. In 2019, it was appointed as a training provider for an overseas training initiative launched by the Ministry of Education and the China Education Association for International Exchange, focusing on robotics, mechatronics, and electrotechnics. Since then, the academy has trained nearly 1,500 professionals from 23 provinces across China.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, China had over 11,000 vocational schools as of 2023, including technical schools, with nearly 35 million students enrolled. The country aims to nurture a skilled workforce by fostering approximately 2,000 national-level master artisans, 10,000 provincial-level master artisans, and 50,000 city-level master artisans with advanced technical expertise and innovative skills by 2035.

Heinze spoke highly of China's efforts to promote vocational education. "China has developed impressively over the past 20 years," he said. "As China's industrial base continues to expand, the country needs a skilled workforce to sustain this growth. Vocational training will play a crucial role in developing the specialized labor force required for China's ongoing progress."

"Even in a digitalized world, there's still a need for skilled workers who can work with their hands," Heinze said, citing battery production as an example. "While digital technologies are increasingly prevalent, a significant portion of the workforce in industries such as battery assembly still requires specialized manual skills."

Drawing from Germany's experience, Heinze pointed out that vocational training can lead to excellent job prospects and competitive salaries. "If everyone pursues academic degrees without considering technical fields, a country will inevitably face a shortage of skilled workers. That can be dangerous for the economy, as a balanced workforce is critical for economic stability," he said.

Also, Heinze expressed optimism about the future of vocational education collaboration between Germany and China.

"The projects we've done with China have been very successful, and the partnerships are built on mutual trust," he said. "Both sides can learn from each other, and I'm committed to continuing and expanding these efforts."