Cultivate Local Versatile Talents for China - Argentina Cooperation in "Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills"

Established in December 2022, the Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills at Lithium & Potassium Co., Ltd. in Argentina is the first Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills in South America. It is jointly sponsored by Beijing Polytechnic College and Potasio y Litio de Argentina SA (PLASA) of Tibet Summit Resources Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "PLASA") in Argentina. Its first teacher is Guo Kai from Beijing Polytechnic College. When the Center was in need of technical experts, he resolutely decided to travel thousands of miles to Salta Province, Argentina, to apply his lifelong learning to the Andes Mountains in Argentina, where the Center is located, and to provide "Chinese + Auto Repair" training for PLASA employees and local residents.

Promote "Chinese language in workshop" and cultivate "Chinese + Auto Repair" talents

Although majoring in auto repair, Guo Kai has a deep understanding of Chinese language education. Does "Chinese + TVET" education simply refer to Chinese language teaching combined with skills teaching? How to integrate Chinese language education with vocational skills? Guo Kai has been searching for answers.

The official language of Argentina is Spanish. Guo Kai had to speak English during class, then the interpreter explained what he said in Spanish, which reduced efficiency and often led to situations where words cannot convey his intended meaning.

Guo believed that to improve communication efficiency, the interpreter should be skipped. He came up with a creative idea of teaching high-frequency vocabulary in both Chinese and Spanish. He sorted out frequently-used command verbs and professional terms, wrote them on paper in Chinese and Spanish respectively, and marked them with Chinese pinyin. Although the students learned their Chinese pronunciation in advance, when Guo Kai said them in Chinese, they still looked at him blankly. It turned out that they had not established the connection between pronunciation and physical objects. At that point, Guo Kai pointed at the words on the paper, and they would immediately understand the meaning. After days of training, the employees could respond quickly to Guo Kai's Chinese key words. Guo Kai said that such a method instantly turned the auto repair site into a "Chinese language corner", and created a pleasant atmosphere. Opening the cover, disassembling the engine, failing to start, detecting normal, detecting abnormal... The employees who couldn't understand the professional vocabulary made so much progress that they could give swift responses. When asked if he had found a good teaching method for "Chinese + Auto Repair", Guo Kai admitted that it was far from enough and that employees required systematic learning. However, he seemed to find a breakthrough, namely, to constantly practice and search for the rules of Chinese language teaching in the workshop.

Serve local community and promote people-to-people connectivity

As a teacher at the Center, Guo Kai imparts knowledge on a daily basis and helps local people solve many problems through technology. Once he ran into a female driver on his way off work. Her car broke down, and the rescue personnel couldn't spot the malfunction and fix the car quickly. Guo Kai took the initiative to inquire if assistance was needed. With consent, he checked the car and found the broken relay. He cleverly replaced the starter relay with an air conditioning relay, and quickly solved the problem. The driver was extremely grateful for his professional skills and kindness.

Guo Kai didn't expect that the small favor attracted local attention. A 4S dealership in Salta heard about the situation and contacted Guo Kai, hoping that he could instruct its local employees in auto repair as an expert. Soon after, the Center regularly conducted training for the 4S dealership.

Through word of mouth, nearby citizens got to know the Chinese language teacher who understood technology and lived on the mountain. Residents on the plateau heard about it and also invited Guo Kai to check the faults of their tractors and cars and provide technical assistance. On the plateau at an altitude of over 4,000 meters, there were no repair shops, and it was difficult for residents to get their vehicles repaired. Guo Kai said that residents were in need, and we mastered the technology. The fragrance always lingers on the hand that gives roses. He is willing to contribute to the friendship between China and Argentina. In the future, the Center will take on more social responsibilities.

Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills at Lithium & Potassium, a new chapter in the "Belt and Road" in South America

The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing in 2023, when China and Argentina signed a cooperation plan on jointly constructing the "Belt and Road", another achievement of the two countries after Argentina joined the "Belt and Road" Initiative in 2022. It meant that both sides will promote and deepen cooperation in various fields in a more specific way.

When China-Argentina cooperation deepens, Argentina attracts more Chinese enterprises, and the value and role of the Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills has been highlighted. As the first Center in South America, the Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills at Lithium & Potassium Co., Ltd. serves the company and the local society, cultivates local versatile talents proficient in language, culture and skills, and contributes to the construction of the "Belt and Road".

If the construction of the Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills is a relay race, the teachers are the pioneers who bravely move forward and strive to make a good start in South America. Different from traditional school teaching models, the courses of "Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills" integrate with professional needs, and most of its students are employees. However, the teachers' commitment and dedication to education remain unchanged. They gain the pride of teaching people how to fish, and the sense of achievement of serving the "Belt and Road" Initiative. They are taking action to build the Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills at Lithium & Potassium Co., Ltd..

At present, the cooperation between the Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills and Argentine vocational colleges and universities has made a breakthrough. Three vocational and technical schools in Salta Province have expressed their willingness to engage in in-depth cooperation with the Center. In the future, the Center for Chinese Language and Professional Skills at Lithium & Potassium Co., Ltd. will train more outstanding talents for China-Argentina cooperation and the "Belt and Road".