Antoine Barnaart is so committed to his life in China, that he is even prepared to sometimes make a fool of himself: By singing in public.

Barnaart, an Australian in his 40s, has been invited to sing on several occasions at government-initiated gatherings in Chongqing.

"I get great encouragement to do so from my Chinese counterparts, and it is a rare experience for me which I can take back to Australia," he said.

As the Australian team leader of the China Australia Chongqing Vocational Education and Training Project, Barnaart has been living and working in Chongqing, Southwest China, for more than three years.

Like many of his Australian colleagues involved in the project, he has been bridging Australian experience with Chinese reality in a bid to promote vocational education and training that China badly needs.

With a grant of about 20 million Australian dollars (US$16.57 million) from the Australian government and a contribution of AUS$5.3 million (US$4.39 million) from the Chinese side, the five-and-a-half-year project is the biggest Australian aid package to China in the education sector in recent years.

On its completion in August this year, it will help set up a demand-driven vocational educational system, backed by experience and expertise from the Australians, to cater to the changing needs of China's labor market and industry.

"I find my work here extremely rewarding as we are all working on bringing immediate changes to students, schools, industry and society," Barnaart said.

When the first batch of graduates trained by the project hit the market last year, their employment rate was more than 98 percent. Most importantly, the graduates had the right mix of theoretical knowledge and practical skills that made them immediately productive in the workplace.

To date, more than 6,000 Chinese students have been enrolled and 830 Chongqing teachers trained.

"The high-level support from both governments has made our work here much easier.

"We are helping China train talented people that are and will be badly needed by almost all sectors in Chinese society, ranging from construction supervisors, automotive technicians and electronic technicians, e-business operators to a range of occupations in the hotel and tourism industry," Barnaart said.

"The project has involved 51 schools and three universities in Chongqing and 36 advisors from Australia. The Ministry of Education is keen to popularize our experience in Chongqing nationwide for China's vocational education and training policy."

In 2005, Barnaart was presented with the Three Gorges Friendship Award by the Chongqing Municipal Government together with eight other expats. His deputy, Jan Chinnery, also received a similar award in 2006. The award is given to expats in recognition of their outstanding contributions to local development.

Barnaart sees these awards as a great honour as well as a hallmark to the importance Chongqing has placed on vocational education and training.

Having visited many Chinese cities, Barnaart finds Chongqing especially interesting.

The convergence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers and the surrounding mountains provides it with unique natural features, and the extensive number of high-rises built on the hills and mountains makes it an imposing city.

"Its friendly and happy people ensure that international visitors like me feel very welcome and safe," he said.

The food?

"Luckily, I like hot spicy food for which Chongqing is famous. I usually have a Chongqing hotpot at least once a week. Not only does it taste good but it is fun to eat with my Chinese friends," he said.

(China Daily May 10, 2007)