China Education Development Foundation (CEDF), Dell Technologies, and the National Center for Educational Technology (NCET) have officially launched the 2025 “Upskilling Future Workforce for the Digital Economy” project. A virtual conference held on December 17, 2024, marked the beginning of the initiative’s fifth year of implementation in China. The aim is to provide a digital curriculum, training and globally recognised ICDL digital skills certification to an additional 100 teachers and 2,500 students.
The conference, chaired by Mr. Liang Senshan, Deputy Director of the Vocational Education Development Department of the National Center for Educational Technology (NCET), featured notable attendees including Mr. Ren Xiaohang, Deputy Director of NCET, Ms. Jane Ma, CSR Manager of Dell Technologies China, Mr. Yang Yanjun, Professor of Nanchang University, Educational Technology Directors from Liaoning, Shandong, Sichuan, Hunan provinces, as well as project leaders from 50 participating schools and representatives of ICDL China.
Ms. Jane Ma, CSR Manager of Dell Technologies Greater China, highlighted the initiative as a benchmark for Dell Technologies’ ESG collaborations. Reflecting on the project’s achievements over the past four years, she emphasised the collective efforts of all stakeholders in driving its success. Ms. Ma expressed her hope that the initiative would continue to empower students with valuable digital skills. She reaffirmed Dell Technologies’ commitment to fostering long-term partnerships with CEDF, NCET, and ICDL China.
Mr. Ren Xiaohang, Deputy Director of NCET, underscored the project’s ongoing commitment to integrating information technology with vocational education. Over the past four years, the initiative has been successfully implemented in 205 institutions across 14 provinces, benefiting more than 400 teachers and 9,990 students. He outlined three key priorities for this year’s project and called for participating institutions to prioritise project implementation which actively engaging teachers and students in project activities, developing tailored and actionable teaching strategies under professional guidance to effectively implement the project’s methodologies, and ensuring robust project management at the provincial level by monitoring progress, addressing challenges, and providing timely support.
Project Implementation and Keynote Presentations
Mr. Jiang Bolun, from the Vocational Education Development Department at NCET, presented the 2025 project implementation plan, detailing specific deployments for the year. The conference also featured a keynote presentation titled “Strategic Approach to Digital Literacy among Vocational College Educators and Students in the Digital Economy Era” by Professor Yang Yanjun from Nanchang University. Additionally, Mr. Liu Tingyu, representing the ICDL China Project Management Center, introduced ICDL programmes and highlighted their advantages.
To support the initiative, hardware equipment will also be allocated to participating schools in western regions, facilitating digital teaching activities. The project also seeks to explore innovative models for cultivating information technology skills among vocational students.
The successful launch of the 2025 “Upskilling Future Workforce for the Digital Economy” project marks a significant milestone in equipping China’s future workforce with essential digital skills. Through the collaborative efforts of CEDF, Dell Technologies, NCET, and ICDL China, the initiative aims to provide valuable learning opportunities, enhance digital competencies, and offer globally recognised certifications to students and industrial workers.
