China's second Luban Workshop in Kazakhstan, which is under construction, will focus on nurturing artificial intelligence talent to fuel the growth of the industry in the Central Asian country.

It is being built by Tianjin Vocational Institute and L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University of Kazakhstan.

"The workshop is under construction, and we plan to collaborate with the local university in the field of information technology applications to provide sufficient talent support for the development of the artificial intelligence industry in Kazakhstan," said Wu Zongbao, president of Tianjin Vocational Institute.

"Kazakhstan is a leading digital and financial technology center in Central Asia, and information technology is a crucial cornerstone of the digitalization process."

Initiated by Tianjin, the Luban Workshop is a globally renowned brand in vocational education, with an increasing number of workshops being set up in countries involved in the Belt and Road initiative.

"The Luban Workshop has offered strong support for these countries, meeting the rising demand of their thirst for quality technological personnel," said Luan Jianzhang, director general of the Foreign Affairs Office in Tianjin.

The first Luban Workshop in Kazakhstan, jointly established by Tianjin Vocational Institute and East Kazakhstan Technical University, was put into use in December.

The initial phase offers training to over 400 students in transportation equipment and technology, with four practical training areas: vehicle maintenance, vehicle fuel systems, new energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles.

Tianjin Vocational Institute has tailored five course standards for the workshop: pure electric vehicle operation theory, electric vehicle equipment, automotive engines, advanced driver assistance systems, and unmanned vehicle assembly technology.

"We will continue to construct the second Luban Workshop in Astana, Kazakhstan, at a high level, and strive to run the first Luban Workshop in East Kazakhstan province as well, creating more opportunities for the career development of local youth," Wu said.

Meanwhile, a delegation of 12 students and teachers from the Luban Workshop at Tajik Technical University, the first in Central Asia, arrived in Tianjin on Friday for a nearly one-month training program at Tianjin Urban Construction Management & Vocation Technology College.

The Tajikistan Luban Workshop is a collaborative effort between the Tianjin college and TTU.

Bozorzoda Bakhtiyor, a junior student at TTU, said he will make the most of his valuable learning experience in Tianjin to master advanced surveying and mapping techniques, ultimately aiming to contribute to his country's development upon his return.

Spanning 1,138 square meters, the Tajikistan Luban Workshop offers majors in urban heating application and engineering measurement technologies.

It includes two practice centers — one green and one smart — for student projects, and is equipped with 377 sets of teaching equipment and an online classroom.

In just over a year, it has provided theoretical learning and practical training to more than 1,500 undergraduate and graduate TTU students.