These problems have greatly affected China’s innovation, resulting in low-end products, high energy consumption and frequent industrial accidents.  

In addition, Chinese cities turn out a labour force of 24 million each year, and a large surplus labour force in rural areas has to move out. This is another factor behind the need to develop vocational education.

At present, vocational training is mainly conducted and managed by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS).

New initiatives

In 2005, MOE announced its plan to develop 100 high quality vocational colleges to boost China’s vocational education. The State Council earmarked a sum equivalent to around 1.23 billion US dollars to support vocational education.

Vocational education will help provide more educational opportunities for young people in China. Due to limited educational resources, each year more than 10 million junior middle school graduates cannot enter senior high schools, several million high school graduates cannot enter colleges, and about one million college graduates cannot find jobs.  

Private sector Vocational Education institutions

There are various types of private institutions covering different VET areas in each province of South China. These schools and institutions work mainly at senior secondary and tertiary level. They include vocational high schools, specialised secondary schools, skilled worker schools, higher vocational technology institutions, and adult higher education institutions.

Popular Skills education subjects

According to the ‘China Statistical Yearbook 2008’, subjects such as manufacturing, information technology, medicine and health, and trade and tourism are more popular than subjects such as resources and the environment, energy, and public affairs.