City combats shortage of technicians

By Zou Qi and Yang Lifei  |   2008-7-5  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

SHANGHAI hopes to solve a shortage of skilled technicians by introducing an award for outstanding contributions, extending the retirement age and luring professionals from other areas, Shanghai Labor and Social Security Bureau said yesterday.

The city will set up an award scheme every two years to give 50 winners an allowance of 10,000 yuan (US$1,429), the bureau said.

Officials said they were also considering extending the normal retirement age for advanced technicians. Under Chinese law, men retire at 60, women cadres at 55 and female workers at 50.

The government will also bring skilled professionals from other provinces and cities. High-level technicians are in great demand in Shanghai's manufacturing industries.

Those with advanced qualifications gained outside the city and who have been working in Shanghai for at least three years will be offered a residence permit after they have passed an assessment.

Technicians who are under 45 with advanced prizes will also be allowed to gain permanent residence in Shanghai.

And young technicians are encouraged to take part in a government-subsidized vocational training program to advance their qualifications.

Last year, the city began to promote cooperation between universities and enterprises. The program aims to train skilled workers to become senior technicians after one to three years of university training.

The bureau said 20,000 skilled technicians are expected to graduate by the end of this year. So far 5,199 technicians have completed the program.

The government aims to increase the number of skilled technicians to 21 percent of total skilled workers in Shanghai by December - up from 19 percent at the end of last year.