The world-renowned software company Oracle signed an agreement with the China International Talent Exchange Foundation (CITEF) in Beijing Thursday to jointly train 4,000 Chinese software engineers annually.
The training program, taking its focus from Oracle's Workforce Development Program, will train local personnel for China's 11 national software bases in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. Oracle will also offer its patent software products, teaching materials and test service, valued at more than 100 million yuan (US$12 million).
Hu Xinyu, an official with the CITEF, said China had given priority to boosting software industry development as a national strategy. The CITEF would further cooperate with multinationals represented to enhance the level of China's software industry.
Hu Bolin, general manager of Oracle (China) Co. Ltd., said information technology had drawn the attention of every country in the world with the coming of a knowledge-based economy.
China's demand for software professionals is expected to surpass 200,000 in the next three years.
(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2003)
