China to fund further education for 3m industrial workers by 2030

Mettis Global reported that China plans to provide financial support to at least 3 million industrial workers for further education and skills upgrading through 2030. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions outlined the measures in a blueprint covering the 15th Five-Year Plan period from 2026 to 2030. The document sets out steps to build the skills framework for factory workers and to support their longer-term career progression.

Authorities aim to train around 1,000 national-level master artisans, 5,000 provincial-level and 25,000 city-level by 2030. The number of innovation studios run by model workers and master artisans is forecast to reach 160,000 across the country by 2030. The plan also calls for upgrading lifelong vocational training, rolling out AI Plus learning initiatives and building a national skills-learning platform.

Training support will reach migrant workers, staff in new forms of employment and younger workers, alongside craftsman colleges that mix online and offline instruction. Wang Xiaoping, the minister of human resources and social security, had earlier signalled a wider rollout of large-scale vocational training this year, with targeted courses for low-altitude flight, electric vehicles, AI and eldercare. Mettis Global said the plan sits within Beijing's broader push to modernise its industrial base by pairing investment in physical assets with investment in people.