On July 8, Shenzhen launched construction of the Global Digital Intelligence Talent Development Innovation Base, a new hub designed to train and nurture professionals in information and communications technology (ICT) and support the city’s push to become a world leader in digital innovation.

The project will be developed in two phases. The first phase, located at the Tai Fu Sci-Tech Innovation Building in Luohu District, plans to train 15,000 people annually. The second phase will expand capacity to 40,000 trainees per year.

Over the next five years, the base aims to nurture more than 200,000 high-quality digital intelligence professionals, addressing a critical gap in systematic ICT (Information and Communications Technology) talent development in China.

As the global digital transformation accelerates, ICT has become a key driver of economic and social development, yet the shortage of skilled professionals is increasingly evident. According to the "China ICT Talent Ecosystem White Paper," the national shortfall of certified ICT talent exceeds 20 million.

To tackle this bottleneck, Shenzhen's human resources authorities, Huawei, and Shenzhen Talent Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement to integrate policymaking, technological expertise, training resources, and operational services. Together, they aim to create a robust ecosystem for digital intelligence talent development and establish a global benchmark for talent cultivation.

The base plans to become a national demonstration hub for industry-education integration by 2026, a national high-skilled talent training center by 2027, and a world-leading center for digital intelligence talent by 2030.

Huawei representatives noted that this is the company’s first flagship global project deeply focused on talent cultivation. The base will offer a curriculum aligned with industry demands, leveraging Huawei's certification system (22 ICT technologies plus project management). It will provide tiered training programs for technical professionals, enterprise managers, trainers, and university students, combining job-oriented skill development, evaluation, and employment services.

During the next five years, the base also aims to introduce 30 new ICT occupational standards, positioning "Huawei Standards" and "Shenzhen Standards" to become national and even global benchmarks.

An official from Shenzhen's human resources bureau highlighted that the initiative reflects China's commitment to advancing skills training through programs. Shenzhen already leads the nation with over 4 million skilled workers, including 1.59 million high-skilled professionals, accounting for 39.2% of the city’s skilled workforce.

To date, Shenzhen has established four national-level high-skilled talent training bases, five national master studios, and 354 municipal-level lifelong vocational training platforms, building a strong foundation for new drivers of productivity.