China aims to increase skilled worker pool

China will step up efforts to produce more skilled workers and better their career development with improved payment and more scientific evaluation and promotion systems.

"Vocational skills training is of great importance to increase workers' income and ease the nation's structural imbalance of employment," Wang Xiaoping, minister of human resources and social security, said at a news conference in Beijing on Sunday.

She added that the nation is in urgent need of skilled workers, especially the highly skilled and digital talent because of the technology advancement and its influence on the job market.

According to Wang, starting from this year, for three consecutive years, the nation will subsidize vocational skills training for over 10 million people annually. The program covers sectors including manufacturing, services and some newly emerged industries, and jobless college graduates, laid-off people and those with difficulties in landing jobs due to health or financial problems will enjoy privileges to get involved in the program.

She said that the ministry will continue to channel resources and investment to build up more skills training bases nationwide and optimize skills evaluation mechanisms to let the skilled workers get reasonable payment based on their skills and working abilities.

"China will hold the third national vocational skills competition in Zhengzhou, Henan province this year and the 48th WorldSkills Competition next year in Shanghai. Organizing and promoting these skills competitions will encourage more people to engage in skills training and win the skilled people and innovative talent more respect from the public," she added.