Vocational schools cast off the shadow of stigma

High demand

Zeng Biao, vice-principal of Chongqing Economy and Trade Secondary Vocational School, said its tea-processing graduates are in high demand in the job market. They also never need to worry about finding work after they graduate.

Many of them have become tea specialists at their companies, with some even opening their own tea houses, he said.

China has a long tea culture history, so there is a huge demand for such specialists, but not all students can stomach the hard work involved in learning about tea processing, Zeng said.

The common belief that vocational school students are less successful than their college counterparts is due to shortcomings in national education evaluation standards, which focus too much on academic performance, Zeng said.

"Just because vocational school students are usually less successful academically than those from colleges does not mean they are less talented or less smart," he said, adding that vocational school students' talent lies in craftsmanship, dedication, practical skills and strong perseverance in self-improvement.

Graduating from Beijing Business School after two years, Ma Chunlei, 21, is now a manager at a recreational clubhouse in the city. He supervises a team of 10 people and is in charge of operations at the venue's restaurant.

Ma, who majored in restaurant management, said what he learned at the school has helped him a lot with his job. He was in charge of the school coffee shop, which gave him experience in management, he added.

He started work at the clubhouse when it opened two years ago, and believes that he has "grown a lot" in terms of doing his job well.

"I have always been good at dealing with people, and many of them say that I seem much more mature than my years," Ma said.