Build a “skills ecosystem”.

Not all that long ago, learning a skill was a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor; people got their college or vocational credential, and were set for the next few decades. Maybe they had to adapt after a layoff, or refine their skill as new techniques emerged, but that was about it. In the future, people who want to be employable for a lifetime will have to keep learning. It is in this regard that China is faltering (and it is far from alone).

Ideally, a network of workers, educators, and businesses working together could ensure that there are ways for individuals to learn what they need to find and keep good jobs. The reality is that the system is more like a puzzle, with pieces missing. For example, in a recent survey of Chinese education leaders, only half were actively seeking ways to upgrade their curricula to keep up with changing technologies — even though the great majority of those who did said they saw a positive outcome.(https://www.daowen.com)

Canada identified the same problem. Its Advisory Council on Economic Growth recently concluded that the country needed to spend an additional $15 billion a year on adult skills development to keep up. Led by an executive team drawn from the private, non-profit, and education sectors, the government is establishing a FutureSkills Lab, which is exploring new kinds of skills development defining how to measure outcomes, and amassing a database of best practices.

A side benefit of robust ecosystems is that that it promotes reciprocity. For example, the Australian automotive industry funded a fellowship to learn about China’s vocational training system— and is now adapting some of its practices. Competitors can even work together. As manufacturers move up the value chain,operations become more complicated and the required training is therefore more expensive. One proven way to spread the costs is to develop programs that serve the whole sector.Suzhou’s Industrial Park Institute of Vocational Technology(SIPIVT) addresses this problem by providing training to local companies of all kinds, including those that compete. Drawing on best practices from Singapore and Germany, SIPIVT runs apprenticeship and vocational programs, and serves as a startup incubator.