Workers observe the operation of flame cutting equipment at a steel products enterprise in Jingjiang industrial park in Taizhou, East China's Jiangsu province on December 23, 2020. Photo: VCG

China started the implementation of a new apprenticeship program to support the country's high-quality economic development, encouraging enterprises to organize training programs and issuing subsidies to apprentices, according to a guideline rolled out by a number of government departments and organizations. 

Deemed as a new apprenticeship model with Chinese characteristics, the program is aimed at training experienced workers and senior technicians to provide support for the country's industrial upgrading. The training program will last between one and three years, read a notice released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, along with other departments. 

According to the announcement, China encourages enterprises to organize training programs and establish credit systems for apprentices. Each apprenticeship program should have its own training plan but the general training model should be in line with the country's industrial upgrading and high-quality development requirements. 

The announcement also highlighted that both the enterprises that carry out the apprenticeship and the apprentices can get a subsidy. In principle, apprentices could receive over 5,000 yuan ($772.5) each year and their salary must be higher than the local minimum wage. 

China started to test the apprenticeship program during 2015 to 2017. More than 800,000 apprentices were part of the program in 2019 and 2020.