The Apprentices: Opportunity and Discrimination

There were 200 million skilled workers in China at the end of 2020, only 26 percent of the country’s total workforce. Given this, vocational education has drawn unprecedented attention among policymakers in China, the world’s largest manufacturer. But parents, particularly those in urban areas, are against sending their children to vocational high schools or colleges. The problem is that blue collar jobs are still regarded as beneath white collar jobs because they offer less prospects for promotion or further education -- much like in ancient times.