Case Study

Workstations Project, China

Summary
NPTC Group of Colleges is working with China UK Enterprise LTD (CUK) on the development of methodology training for vocational teachers.  The vocational teachers from China come to Wales, UK for teacher methodology training.

Region
Asia Pacific
Skills Solution
Training of Trainers

UK Further Education has struggled to create a sustainable model with China’s vocational education and training sector due to demographic differences and also due to the demands of Chinese policy that require UK FE colleges to be registered as recognised training providers in China.

Once these obstacles were overcome, NPTC Group of Colleges has enjoyed good market access via CUK.

NPTC Group of Colleges invites Chinese teachers to attend a sustainable and long-term CPD course in the UK.  The Chongqing government has now recognised that the solution to the historic issues it has faced in training vocational teachers is to train the trainers to deliver courses using Chinese teachers that are trained in the UK.

The teachers spend 13 weeks in the UK and are trained to Welsh delivery and methodology standards for vocational education and training. This is focussed in two parts, 1) major specific and 2) methodology of teaching in Wales, UK. The teachers also have the opportunity to understand the culture of Wales by living in homestay environments and learning the Welsh Language (optional).

NPTC Group of Colleges’ strategy of training vocational learners to Welsh standards in terms of curriculum supports China’s economic development strategy of encouraging foreign companies to set up manufacturing divisions in China. The training ensures that learners are trained in a way that is relevant to the Chinese economy and to local needs.

This ‘Workstations’ programme has been operating for four years and enables the Chongqing government to promote a UK/Welsh standard of teaching to its vocational learners.  This offers learners a better chance of employment with international companies in Chongqing.  It also supports a sustainable, more highly skilled human resource supply chain for the Chongqing area.  This is a good USP for Chongqing as there is internal competition amongst China’s regional economic development teams who seek to attract high-tech manufacturing into specific areas of China.

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