FORGING SKILLED WORKERS IN CHINA: INSIGHTS FROM SINGAPORE, JAPAN, AND SOUTH KOREA

China has made notable strides in strengthening its industrial workforce, yet its vocational education and skills development system continues to face structural, institutional, and perceptual challenges. This article examines the critical obstacles within China’s current framework, including regional disparities, social stigma, weak school–industry linkages, and fragmented certification mechanisms. To offer practical insights, the paper compares the vocational training systems of Singapore, Japan, and South Korea—three advanced Asian economies with robust strategies for cultivating skilled labor. By analyzing key features of the high-quality skill development systems for skilled workers in three of Asia's technological powerhouses—Singapore, Japan, and South Korea—this study aims to provide references and insights for China's path toward improving the quality of its high-skilled industrial worker system.