Smartphone giant helps boost worker skill levels

Zhang Long, general manager of the intelligent manufacturing research center at the China Center for Information Industry Development, a Beijing-based think tank, said China places greater emphasis on the shift to high value-added industrial fields, which puts forward higher requirements for manufacturing talent.

In March, Apple launched a $50 million Supplier Employee Development Fund to expand access to learning opportunities and skills development in its latest push to better empower people across its supply chains.

Apple has offered in-person and virtual education, skill-building, and enrichment courses since 2008, providing opportunities for people in its supply chains to gain new technical and leadership skills.

With the new $50 million commitment, Apple said that it is significantly expanding the scope of these offerings, adding new educational resources for people in its supply chains－and the surrounding communities－to develop the skills necessary for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

The new education initiatives will make training and coursework available to supplier employees around the world, with programming initially available to individuals in the United States, China, India and Vietnam, the company said.

By 2023, Apple expects more than 100,000 supplier employees to participate in new learning opportunities－from leadership training and technical certifications to classes on coding, robotics and advanced manufacturing fundamentals, including green manufacturing.

Apple's supplier employee educational programming has already reached more than 5 million people.

To better empower talent in China, Apple has also launched a string of "Today at Apple" events, including an Earth-Day-themed initiative. Under the initiative, Apple partners with the Beijing Entrepreneur Environmental Protection Foundation to invite photographers and designers from the environmental community to offer perspectives on environmental topics such as biodiversity and climate change.

Participants of the 11 courses, which are scheduled to be held from April 19 to May 29 in cities such as Beijing, will also learn how to better use phones to take photos, and record videos to speak up for environmental causes.