Asian neighbors eye specialty programs

As companies in China's railway industry receive more orders from Southeast Asian countries, a tangible ripple effect can be seen in vocational schools.

The need for a significant number of skilled technicians in construction, operations and maintenance typically follows the signing of contracts for new railway projects, and Chinese training institutions are a good place for countries such as Laos and Thailand to train personnel.

Although there are no specific data, examples abound, such as in Guizhou and Hubei provinces, where vocational schools say they are receiving increasing numbers of students from Association of Southeast Asian Nations members and are launching training programs in ASEAN economies.