Organizers of the National Poverty Alleviation-oriented Vocational Skills Competition adjust some equipment before the opening of the competition in Datong city. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

The first National Poverty Alleviation-oriented Vocational Skills Competition was held in Datong city in North China's Shanxi province on Aug 11-13.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, the competition was the first skills competition organized with the theme of poverty alleviation in China.

Officials said the competition aimed at playing a leading role in achieving a reduction in poverty through skills training and advancing the learning and mastering of vocational skills for workers in poverty-stricken areas, so as to increase employment.

A total of 341 players from poor families from 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country participated in the competition. 

It consisted of eight vocational programs involving e-commerce, housekeeping, cooking, electric power production, catering services and construction. 

Lou Yangsheng, Party chief of Shanxi province, addressed the opening ceremony, saying that improving labor skills was the fundamental way to increase the incomes of poor people and further poverty alleviation.

He added it was also a long-term strategy to resolve structural employment contradictions and promote high-quality economic development. 

In recent years, Shanxi has made the poor section of the labor force a key target in skills training programs and has cultivated middle and high-end skilled workers through vocational training.

The province has allocated 1 billion yuan ($144.05 million) each year to vocational skills training since 2018, with more than 2.4 million people having been trained. Many rural laborers have been employed and succeeded in starting their own businesses after mastering skills through training. 

Officials said by using the competition as a springboard, Shanxi will further train knowledge-based, skilled and innovative workers to offer strong talent support for the province's transformation and development.