To jointly explore a new training model for industrial workers based on the concept of lifelong learning, build a modern education system, serve the upgrading of industry and boost the growth and development of the staff, The Open University of China (OUC) and Guangdong Federation of Trade Unions have worked together to implement “Assistance Plan for New Industrial Workers” (Assistance Plan for short). Both parties signed the Agreement on Education Cooperation in Carrying Out a “Massive Training Campaign for Tens of Thousands of Staff” at the OUC in Beijing on March 25th, 2015.
President of the OUC Yang Zhijian and Deputy Party Secretary of Guangdong Federation of Trade Unions Guo Zeyu signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions. The signing ceremony was presided over by Yan Bing, Vice President of the OUC.
The participants attending the signing ceremony were as follows: Peng Yi, Director of Publicity and Education Department of All-China Federation of Trade Unions; Song Shanbin, Director of Publicity and Education Department of Guangdong Federation of Trade Unions; Chen Baoping, President of Southern Workers; Liu Chen, Vice President of the OUC; Zhang Xiaohua, Party Secretary of Guangzhou Open University; Gong Hongwu, President of Guangzhou Open University; and relevant leaders from the OUC and Guangzhou Experimental School.
After signing the agreement, Guo Zeyu said that in 2013, Guangdong Province launched the “Massive Training Campaign for Tens of Thousands of Staff”, actively implemented projects to enhance the quality of workers, and endeavored to build a high-quality workforce full of wisdom, equipped with technology, and capable of innovation. The OUC offers distance education across all categories of society, and possesses a wealth of experience and a good foundation in both degree and non-degree education. Guangdong Federation of Trade Unions can make use of the high-quality resources of the OUC to further promote the implementation of workers’ right to learn, to develop, and to express their spiritual and cultural privileges across the whole province.
Yang Zhijian pointed out that, as China's economy has entered a new normal phase, not only do enterprises have a desperate demand for high quality skilled personnel, but also the new generation of workers have a strong demand for self-improvement. The "Assistance Plan" launched by the OUC creates a service mode of "introducing education to enterprises, and learning anywhere in an affordable way without the need of a full-time attendance and off-the-job”, in the manner of “offering subsidies, delivering service, and passing down knowledge” to learners. In this way, the education for workers becomes more suitable for them, and provides a strong guarantee for cultivating highly skilled personnel. The “Assistance Plan” jointly carried out by the OUC and Guangdong Federation of Trade Unions promotes the "Massive Training Campaign for Tens of Thousands of Workers", which is not only a strategic choice to adapt to the requirements of economic and social development, but also an inherent requirement of promoting their own transformational development. In the implementation of the "Assistance Plan" process, the OUC, by relying on the Guangzhou Branch and Guangzhou Experiment School, actively explores the integrated design of academic and non-academic continuing education; mutual connection between modern vocational education, open education, and continuing education; and promoting fast integration of shifting traditional education to education via the Internet. The new training model has been a pilot for the formation of "industrial and educational integration", and has achieved good results.