"Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills" at Tajik-China Mining Co., Ltd.: Coordinate Development of International Chinese Language Education and Vocational Education

The "Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills" at Tajik-China Mining Co., Ltd. is a "Chinese + TVET" talent training program jointly established and managed by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) of the Ministry of Education, Tajik-China Mining Co., Ltd. of Tajikistan, and Lanzhou Resource and Environment Vocational and Technical University. It was designed to promote the synergistic development of international Chinese language education and vocational education, and to build an international innovative model of "Chinese + TVET".

Recently, its first session "Chinese + Electrolytic Lead Metallurgy Technology" training course was concluded, which provided targeted training in Chinese language proficiency, professional knowledge of electrolytic lead, and Chinese culture. It aims to accumulate experience for future "Chinese + TVET" related education, improve the Chinese language proficiency of employees, and deepen internal communication and understanding within the enterprise.

The 30-day "Chinese + Electrolytic Lead Metallurgy Technology" centralized training session involved 30 Tajikistan employees selected from the lead smelting plant of Tajik-China Mining Co., Ltd., mainly including Chinese language proficiency and professional knowledge of electrolytic lead metallurgy. The Chinese language courses were offered in a "topic-based" manner that takes into account the different levels of students, and topics related to students' daily communication were selected for class. The professional knowledge was taught in "modular", including basic knowledge of non-ferrous metallurgy, lead metallurgy and electrolytic lead.

To enhance their test ability in Chinese language, training for the HSK test (elementary) was conducted during the session. To enrich the training content, five secondary colleges of Lanzhou Resource and Environment Vocational and Technical University offer online courses such as "Metallurgical Technology", "Mine Safety", "Intelligent Robots", "Jewelry Processing", and "Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage". During the training period, two traditional cultural exchanges between China and Tajikistan were organized.

Khadzhimatov Vakhid, a desulfurization worker at the lead smelter, spoke on behalf of all the students. He stated that as one of the oldest and least proficient students in Chinese in the current session, he greatly improved in Chinese due to the careful education of Chinese language teachers. Now he can communicate with his Chinese colleagues on a daily basis, and the rich knowledge about lead metallurgy he has learned would facilitate his work. He expressed gratitude on behalf of all the students to the teachers of the "Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills", and sang a Chinese song Farewell at Road-side Pavilion learned during the training session.

Li You, General Manager Assistant of Tajik-China Mining Co., Ltd., expressed greetings and gratitude to the teachers who had worked hard during the training session in his speech at the closing ceremony. He said that the training achievement was widely recognized by the enterprise and the students, which injected vitality into the company's efficient production and contributed to people-to-people exchanges between China and Tajikistan. Li You emphasized that students should carefully summarize their learning experience, improve their Chinese language proficiency and professional abilities, and make more contributions to the friendly cause between China and Tajikistan.

Arabeljiyao Mukadas, the Chief Deputy Mayor of Istiklol, stated that currently over 42,000 Tajikistan students are studying in higher education institutions around the world, especially in China. Young people from Istiklol study in China, and actively contribute to various industries in the city after returning home, a great contribution to the local economy. "Tajikistan and China are strategic partners, and this targeted training for employees demonstrates the exchange and cooperation between Tajikistan and China in vocational education."

The success of this training session has explored paths for practicing vocational education to actively serve Chinese enterprises to "go global" in vocational education, for coordinating the development of international Chinese language education and vocational education, and for building an international development model of "Chinese + TVET". At the same time, it has made preliminary achievements in helping Chinese enterprises develop well, and enhancing the occupational adaptability of local employees for the "Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills".

Later, the "Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills" will strengthen cooperation in local "Chinese + TVET" talent training, teaching, curriculum resources development, and international Chinese language education promoting. It will develop the vocational education cooperation between China and Tajikistan in depth, better serve people's livelihood and economy in Tajikistan, and build a new platform for mutual benefit, win-win and common development of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.