LANZHOU－Two teachers from the city of Lanzhou in Northwest China have embarked on an adventure that takes them westward along the Silk Road. Shi Guangyue and Bie Wei are not trading goods, however, but are sharing their expertise in metallurgical techniques with students in Khujand, Tajikistan.

The two teachers from Lanzhou Resources and Environment Voc-Tech University started their journey last month with the aim of providing Tajikistan with more locally sourced skilled personnel.

After a few days of adaptation to the foreign environment, Shi and Bie settled down to the routine of vocational skills training. They taught professional skills such as the principles of metallurgical processes and equipment maintenance to employees and students at Tajik-China Mining and the Mining-Metallurgical Institute of Tajikistan.

At the beginning of this year, the company, the institute and the university in Lanzhou officially established a vocational and technical training center in Tajikistan.

"Our university compiled the key points of professional knowledge and skills into handouts in Russian before our arrival and we have distributed them to the trainees as teaching resources," Bie says.

Zheng Shaozhong, president of the university in Lanzhou, says that, in 2019, the Ministry of Education listed it among the pilot institutions helping with vocational education in other countries.

"The Belt and Road countries have seen an increasing demand for high-quality skilled personnel with an international perspective," Zheng adds.

Wu Chunhui, deputy general manager of Tajik-China Mining, says that the company has recruited more than 1,000 locals in Tajikistan since its establishment in 2007.

"With the skills acquired by local employees, they will have more job options and higher incomes. With regard to enterprise operation, the efficiency of production will be improved. It's a win-win partnership," Wu says.

Mohamed Usmoni, a 25-year-old employee at the company, has been studying Chinese for years. With the guidance of two Chinese teachers, he has not only improved his Chinese language skills, but also acquired metallurgical knowledge, which he believes will help his future development in the company.

"We can feel the local people's friendliness toward the Chinese and their love for Chinese culture all the time," Shi says. "It has made us more aware of the responsibility and need to work as hard as we can to share the ideas of vocational education in China."

Appointed by the institute as honorary professors, Shi and Bie will spend two years in Tajikistan.