Hubei political advisor stresses vocational education's role in tech

Zhu Hong, a member of the 13th Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, has put forth a proposal to foster the development of vocational education and equipment manufacturing, emphasizing the importance of both business growth and educational reform.

Recognizing vocational education as a crucial avenue for cultivating technical talent and supporting economic and social development, Zhu advocates for alignmenting these two sectors.

Zhu, the vice dean of the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Wuhan Vocational and Technical College, stresses the need for vocational education to adapt to rapid technological advancements and industrial restructuring. She highlights the necessity of continuous reform and innovation to meet the evolving demands of economic and social progress. She further accentuates the value of nurturing highly skilled technical professionals with practical abilities and an innovative mindset.

Under her guidance, the college witnessed the emergence of a group of research-oriented talents.

At a national vocational skills competition in 2023, a 23-year-old teacher from the college demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship by utilizing 3D printing to build a soybean sorting machine — designing, manufacturing, and testing it within a remarkable timeframe of fewer than six hours. This outstanding performance in additive manufacturing equipment operation secured the gold medal. "Coming from a background in secondary vocational education, where he studied machining, his inspiring triumph fills us with pride," Zhu said.

Zhu said Wuhan serves as a vital equipment manufacturing hub in China and possesses unique advantages and conditions. She recommends increasing government support for the equipment manufacturing industry to propel industrial upgrading and transformation, thereby augmenting the quality and competitiveness of products.

"Vocational education and equipment manufacturing are mutually reinforcing," declares Zhu. "By cultivating a larger pool of highly skilled technical professionals, we can offer robust talent support and technical assistance to facilitate the development of equipment manufacturing."