Lushui is adopting a new approach to workforce development, moving away from broad, one-size-fits-all training to a more targeted model. This shift is designed to directly connect skilled workers with the specific needs of local employers.
Take Xiao Hu, an employee at the Denggeng Hot Spring Hotel, as an example. She previously struggled to answer guests' questions about coffee, but after attending a free training program and earning a barista certificate, she now confidently brews coffee and discusses bean origins and flavor profiles with customers. Her success story highlights the human resources bureau's "order-based" training initiative, which is transforming how the city prepares its workforce.
The concept is simple: businesses identify their staffing shortages, and training is tailored to fill those gaps. The system works through a collaborative framework where companies place orders, the human resources bureau dispatches assignments, training institutions accept them, and community members choose which courses they'd like to take. This streamlined process has already channeled a wave of new tourism and hospitality talent directly from classrooms to frontline positions.
The Nujiang Grand Canyon Hotel, for instance, was struggling to find a local Chinese pastry chef. Hiring from outside the area proved too costly. After the human resources bureau stepped in, a specialized training class was launched at a partner institution. Graduates were able to start working at the hotel immediately, resolving a critical staffing issue. This success has generated a steady stream of similar requests: the Hilton Hotel needed tea sommeliers, and the Denggeng Hot Spring Hotel required baristas and housekeeping staff.
To make these opportunities accessible, the human resources bureau has partnered with the Shili Vocational Skills Training School to set up pre-employment training bases in residential areas. The courses are diverse, covering roles such as baristas, housekeeping staff, pastry chefs, and tea sommeliers, all aligned with Lushui's ambition to become a world-class mountain canyon tourist destination. While offline service skills are a priority, the need for online marketing talent is also being addressed.
In early August, the bureau, along with the city's Care for Next Generation Committee and Youth League Committee, launched a live-streaming entrepreneurship class. Sixty young locals attended an intensive session combining four days of theory with three days of practical application. The curriculum covered everything from account management and short-video editing to live-stream presentation skills and agricultural product branding.
Wang Ziping, a participant from Laowo Township, had long dreamed of selling her hometown's ham through live-streaming but lacked the know-how. "Previously, I was just trying things on my own, but nothing I posted got any attention. Now I understand how much work goes into it," she said. "It's not just about filming the production process; you also need to tell a good story and pay attention to lighting and composition." After finishing the course, Wang received a startup loan and one-on-one mentoring, which has given her newfound confidence in selling products online.
A city human resources official explained that these training programs are designed to equip rural youth with digital skills, turning smartphones into modern farming tools and live-streaming into a new agricultural profession. Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Lushui has invested over 20 million yuan in vocational training subsidies, conducted more than 300 training sessions, and benefited more than 16,000 residents. From hotel rooms to live-streaming studios, and from pastry stations to coffee bars, Lushui is delivering ready-to-work talent to its tourism industry through this precision-focused training model.