Luban Workshops: China's vocational education goes global

TIANJIN, China, Nov. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Luban Workshop has garnered attention from global insiders at the 2024 World Vocational and Technical Education Development Conference in North China's Tianjin Municipality, which opened on November 21. 
 
Chinese technical and vocational education is expanding internationally, and the Luban Workshop has become a landmark cooperative project in cultivating local talents in partner countries. During the conference, the Global Times learned that as of November 2024, over 34 Luban Workshops have been established in 30 countries and regions in the world since the first one was established in Thailand in 2016. 
 
During the opening ceremony of the conference, Muferihat Kamil, Minister of Labor and Skills of Ethiopia, said the Luban Workshop represents a milestone in strengthening the partnership between Ethiopia and China.
 
"China is sharing its vocational education experiences with other countries and regions all over the world,"Lü Jingquan, Director of the Expert Committee on Luban Workshop Construction, told the Global Times. He also shared that the Luban Workshops not only provided academic education to partner countries, but also improved the local standards of living by enhancing the skills of young people in those communities. 
 
Aamer Aziz, Director General (Operations) at TEVTA Punjab, also attended the conference. Pakistan as a whole has already benefited from the Luban Workshops, and its representative was seen paying close attention to Thematic Exhibition on Vocational Education. After visiting the booth from Dongying Vocational College, he told the Global Times that the college's work on saline soil could be a viable solution for Pakistan' salty land, which covers 30 percent of the country. 
 
China now has the largest vocational education system in the world, said Lü, adding that China's vocational education experiences have also attracted numerous partners globally. The Luban Workshops, a significant initiative with global outreach, have promoted the development of talent around the world and have become a bridge for cultural exchanges.