Jiangsu makes strides in vocational education
The robust development in vocational education in Jiangsu province over the past decade has created a steady supply of high-end skilled talents needed to bolster economic growth, a senior education official said at a news conference on Sept 29.
Over the past 10 years, the province has invested more than 7 billion yuan ($975.21 million) in vocational education, making it a frontrunner in this regard in the nation, said Cao Yumei, deputy director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education.
Jiangsu has cultivated about 500,000 vocational talents annually, and more than 90 percent of graduates find employment in the province. Nearly 70 percent of graduates work in micro, small and medium sized enterprises.
To date, Jiangsu has more than 8.3 million skilled talents, the highest in China.
The number of vocational high schools in Jiangsu province has climbed from 77 to 91 over the past 10 years. Among them, 15 schools were listed as national demonstration vocational schools and 17 schools were rated as high-quality vocational schools.
In 2019, Jiangsu unveiled the first regional regulation in China on advancing the cooperation between vocational schools and enterprises.
To date, there are 32 provincial-level vocational education groups in the province. Fifteen of them were included in a national demonstration vocational education group.
Over the past decade, the province has launched nearly 5,000 programs for students to upgrade from vocational schools to universities, and more than 150,000 students have received undergraduate education through programs in that regard.
Jiangsu has also facilitated cooperation between domestic and foreign schools. To date, 28 vocational high schools in Jiangsu have launched Sino-foreign educational cooperation programs and cultivated more than 110,000 skilled talents.