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Service sector professionals in short supply

By Shangguan Zhoudong (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-06-01 16:33

China's service sector needs more professionals, including lawyers, accountants, translators and actuaries, according to a report released by the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science.

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China lacks 500,000 professionals in auto research and development sector and 800,000 in the auto maintenance industry said Tang Haishan, a director with the China Auto Talents Society during the11th Five-Year Program(2006-2010).

A total of 240,000 civil aviation talents will be needed in the coming 20 years, says the report. Currently, the average man-machine ratio worldwide is about 100:1, but in China the ratio is 200:1.

Du Yefu, a professor with the Civil Aviation University of China, says the demand for specialized civil aviation professionals will increase due to more and more private capital entering the industry.

In recent years, China's private aviation companies, such as OK Airways and Spring Airlines, are competing for professionals. Du also predicts that pilots, air and ground crew, aviation transportation safety managers and specialized maintenance people will have great prospects.

Actuary is also a focus in China's human resource market, according to statistics from theChina Insurance Regulatory Commission. Currently the country only has just over 100 actuaries. As more and more foreign insurers enter the market, China needs 5,000 actuaries in five years.

Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that, with an annual increase of 115,000 nurses, by 2015, the total number of China's nurses will increase to 2.32 million. Family doctors, nurses and other specialized medical personnel will be in great demand.