Digital, green professions lead list of updated jobs

Digital and green professions lead China's latest update to its national job classification list, accounting for nearly three-quarters of 11 newly added occupations, as the country steers its economy toward high-tech advancement and low-carbon development.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security unveiled 11 new professions and 23 refined job subcategories on Wednesday, expanding the official classification to reflect changes driven by emerging technologies, industrial upgrades and evolving consumer demand.

Five of the new professions are digital occupations centered on the application of digital technologies, online platforms and data-driven workflows. They include digital twin engineers, embodied intelligence robotics application technicians and industrial product digital modelers.

Spanning artificial intelligence, cloud computing, smart manufacturing and data analytics, digital occupations are supporting the expansion of China's digital economy. The sector posted 14.09 trillion yuan ($2.1 trillion) in added value in 2025, equivalent to 10.05 percent of the country's gross domestic product, official National Bureau of Statistics data shows.

China has officially recognized 113 digital occupations and 142 green occupations, the ministry said.

Green occupations are defined as roles directly supporting environmental protection, resource conservation and carbon reduction. The category includes jobs that cut energy use, reduce pollution and accelerate the shift to renewable energy.

Newly added green professions include microgrid administrators, hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing technicians and electrolytic water hydrogen production workers, all aligned with China's dual-carbon goals of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060.

The two job categories overlap in practice. Microgrid administrators, for example, fall under both digital and green occupation categories. They manage localized small-scale power networks that integrate solar power, energy storage and other renewable energy sources, using digital tools to optimize operational efficiency.

The latest update comes during what the ministry described as a critical phase for the economy's comprehensive green transformation under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).

The remaining new occupations cover modern service sectors, reflecting evolving industrial needs and consumer demand.

They include sustainability planners, sports data analysts who process athletic performance metrics and low-altitude logistics operators overseeing drone delivery operations.

Other new roles address pressing social needs, such as elderly adaptation renovation designers, who retrofit residential homes for senior residents.

Demand for the role has grown as China's population aged 60 and above surpassed 320 million at the end of 2025.

Traditional incense artisans are also included in the updated list.

The ministry said the revision will diversify career options, better align vocational training with market needs and support sound growth in emerging industrial sectors.

lilei@chinadaily.com.cn