In the wake of China’s transition toward high-quality growth, a slew of novel professions has surfaced, underscoring the dynamism of the nation’s new economy while presenting promising avenues for employment.
These pioneering occupations, spanning from robot engineering technicians to building energy conservation consultants, provide a glimpse into China’s strides towards innovation-driven, low-carbon development—addressing the public’s aspirations for enhanced quality of life.
Fu Linghui, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), noted that China’s economic transformation and upscaling persist, with innovation acting as a continued driver. Furthermore, the service sector’s swift resurgence contributed significantly to last month’s economic growth.
Fueled by burgeoning innovative sectors, fresh business paradigms, and models, the NBS’s New Growth Driver Index for China surged by an impressive 28.4 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year, reaching a substantial 766.8 points.
Robot Engineering Technician
The domain of robotics, thanks to individuals like Zhang Shourong and his team at the Beijing-based logistics robot company Geek+, has revolutionized warehouse operations. These robots now efficiently handle tasks that once demanded strenuous manual labor, like cargo movement and selection.
Notably, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security unveiled robot engineering technician as one of the 18 newly recognized professions in June 2022. China’s robot industry has experienced an average annual growth rate of 22 percent from 2017 to 2022, according to a report by the Chinese Institute of Electronics. With an expanding array of robot applications, the demand for skilled professionals has surged.
NBS data also highlights that investments in high-tech industries grew by 11.3 percent year-on-year in the first eight months of the year, while investment in scientific research and technological services skyrocketed by 22.3 percent.
Dong Kai, overseeing policy research at the China Center for Information Industry Development, emphasized the increasing need for talent in the flourishing robotics sector. A manufacturing talent development guide, co-released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and two other departments, projects a requirement for 4.5 million individuals in the CNC machine tools and robotics sectors by 2025 to bridge the talent gap.
The vitality within China’s robotics industry has not gone unnoticed by professionals like Zhang. He foresees abundant prospects for robotics engineering technicians, with a desire to continually enhance skills and knowledge to ride the wave of innovation.
Building Energy Conservation Consultant
In eastern China’s Zhejiang Province, engineer Zhang Chong, employed at an energy and environment design and research firm, plays a pivotal role in enhancing the energy efficiency of an industrial building’s air-conditioning control system. His efforts could yield energy savings exceeding 30 percent and an annual reduction of 60 percent in electricity costs.
Building energy conservation consultants contribute to reduced energy consumption in buildings through meticulous planning, architectural designs, increased reliance on renewable energy sources, energy storage facilities, and intelligent energy networks, according to Zhang.
China, committed to peaking CO2 emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, places considerable emphasis on building energy efficiency as part of its dual carbon goals. Significant initiatives include renovating over 350 million square meters of existing buildings for energy conservation by 2025 and constructing over 50 million square meters of ultra-low and near-zero energy consumption structures.
In Zhang’s view, these favorable policies promise abundant opportunities for his profession in the next decade. However, staying relevant requires constant updates on subjects like energy planning, electrical power, water supply, drainage, and air conditioning system automation control.
Besides the occupations aligned with high-tech sectors and China’s green transition, the burgeoning hostel industry has also birthed new jobs within China’s tourism and accommodation sectors.
Yu Meilin, a hostel housekeeper in Zhejiang, engages guests in differentiating edible and delightful plant varieties. This is just one of the many responsibilities of hostel housekeepers, who offer customized services encompassing accommodation, meals, as well as environmental, cultural, and lifestyle experiences.
Acting as a vital bridge between hostels and guests, hostel housekeepers have a profound impact on the quality of a hostel, according to Miao Weixiang, a trainer at a hostel housekeeper training center.
The hostel sector in China has witnessed a surge in B&B housekeeper practitioners, exceeding one million, according to the country’s top human resources department.
NBS data additionally reveals a 6.8 percent year-on-year growth in the production index of China’s service industry in August, outpacing the previous month by 1.1 percentage points.
China’s commitment to fostering the B&B economy and other rural revitalization industries reinforces its pledge to expand domestic demand for the 2022-2035 period.
