Youth urged to bring talents to the countryside

Zhang Rui, deputy head of the WorldSkills Competition China (Tianjin) Research Center, said that the nation has made great efforts to develop skilled workers in recent years and has encouraged them to contribute to rural vitalization work.

"The medal winners of skills competitions are representatives of their industries who can guide more young people to serve as skilled workers and develop themselves into skills masters," said Zhang, who holds a bullish view of skilled workers' development in rural areas.

"In addition to the shortfall of technical workers with smart and mechanized agriculture skills, inadequate public services and an aging problem in rural areas also require skilled workers for elderly care and baby nursing," she said.

Experts have called for more effective supporting policies, higher social recognition and systematic career promotions for skilled students and workers to boost their morale.

Zhang Lifang, director of the China (Guangzhou) Research Center of WorldSkills Competition, said that the nation can promote the inspirational stories of outstanding skilled laborers and the prospects of their professions to help change negative public perceptions of such work.

"The government can create more preferential policies on employment, entrepreneurship, housing and education to support skilled talent, and also guide companies to set up more reasonable and scientific payment and promotion systems based on their workers' performances," she added.