Shuang Chen

Developing Skills for Economic Transformation and Social Harmony in China: a Study of Yunnan Province (Directions in Development) Shuang Chen

China has achieved unprecedented growth over the past three decades. The study showcased in Developing Skills for Economic Transformation and Social Harmony in China: A Study of Yunnan Province focuses on ways to improve an education and training system that spurs lifelong learning and ongoing economic growth.

The book looks at one of China's poorest provinces, Yunnan, which has experienced rapid growth over the past decade and is expected to maintain an annual growth rate of at least 8 percent. The experience of Yunnan as a microcosm sheds light on skills development in China.

The level of knowledge and skills in Yunnan's current labor force, especially among professional and technical workers, is insufficient to meet increasing demand. It is imperative to develop a system that is responsive to the ever-changing needs from the economy and society at large, the study states. Its analyses reveal certain policy gaps and challenges that have hampered Yunnan's education and training system from operating at its full potential.

Developing Skills for Economic Transformation and Social Harmony in China establishes the necessity for skilled labor in Yunnan; examines the blockades to improving the quality and relevance of, and access, to education and training; and proposes policies to address these needs.