China-Austria dual system of vocational training lands in Nantong

Signing ceremony in Nantong on April 22. [Photo provided by Ding Wei for en.nantong.gov.cn]

The Institute for Economic Promotion of the Austrian Economic Chambers (WIFI) signed a cooperation agreement on dual system of vocational training with Nantong Industry and Trade Technician College (NITTC) in Nantong, Jiangsu on April 22.

This collaboration is expected to cultivate new quality productive forces and foster more skilled talent for Nantong.

Zhang Jianfeng, Party secretary of NITTC, spoke at the signing ceremony, expressing the college's commitment to leveraging their strengths in collaboration with WIFI to supply professionals to enterprises in Austria and other German-speaking countries.

In 2017, NITTC established a multi-axis CNC machining international class by adopting advanced teaching principles, management modes, and a vocational qualification certification system from Austria's dual system.

Ernst Buchinger, project director of WIFI, speaks at the signing ceremony. [Photo provided by Ding Wei for en.nantong.gov.cn]

Over the past five years, the college has sent five teachers to receive training at WIFI International, and they have been awarded the numerical control expert international certificate by WIFI. WIFI dispatched experts to offer guidance to NITTC four times in 2018 and 2019.

Graduates of the international class are highly praised by businesses where they intern for their excellent professional skills and comprehensive professional qualities.

WIFI, affiliated with the Austrian Economic Chamber, is the largest vocational education and training institute in the country, boasting 12,000 trainers and 31,000 courses, with over 350,000 students trained each year.

Nantong Industry and Trade Technician College. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Founded in 1979, NITTC integrates education, vocational training, and vocational skill identification, having educated over 60,000 skilled talents and trained over 50,000 workers.

NITTC also serves as the training base for national highly skilled personnel and a national vocational skills training base. It has been honored as a national demonstration school for the reform and development of secondary vocational education.

The college has also promoted collaboration in running schools with German, Austrian, and South Korean counterparts, and established cooperation relations with more than 200 enterprises, including Tongfu Microelectronics, Alibaba, and JD.