7 Most In-Demand Skills in China for 2025

China’s current 5-year plan  is all about innovation and technology, focusing on industries like robotics, engineering, and advanced manufacturing. The country is building manufacturing hubs and promoting advancements in sectors like Artificial Intelligence and automation. But there’s a huge skills gap that China needs to address to move forward, especially in digital and smart manufacturing.

A recent report shows that the demand for digital talent is far more than the supply, with a shortage of 5.5 million smart manufacturing workers by 2025. In this article, we are discussing the skills that are in demand for getting opportunities and succeeding in the growing job market of China.

Key Aspects of Chinese Work Culture

Knowing Chinese work culture will help you understand the job market and assist you in fitting better. Here are the key work culture aspects that China swears by: 

1. Respect for Hierarchy: Chinese workplaces are hierarchical. Employees are expected to respect authority, follow instructions, and adhere to company discipline to maintain order and efficiency.

2. Teamwork: Teamwork is highly valued in the workplace. Collective success often trumps individual achievements and building relationships within the team is crucial for achieving shared goals.

3. Guanxi: Personal relationships (guanxi) are key to career advancement and business. Networking and keeping professional relationships is important for building trust and getting opportunities.

In-Demand Skills in China in 2025

China’s rapid economic growth and technological advancements are driving the demand for skilled professionals. Artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing are at the top, with industries looking for experts to drive innovation and efficiency. Having these in-demand skills can lead to booming career opportunities in the evolving Chinese job market.

1. AI Skills

The demand for AI skills in China will increase by 6 times by 2030. Companies are racing to develop AI products and tap into the over $1 trillion value that AI can bring to the country. However, there’s a huge talent gap. Local and overseas universities, along with existing experts, will have to train  around 2 million AI-skilled professionals by 2030 but this will only meet one-third of the demand.

This leaves 4 million professionals short of AI roles. With such a huge demand-supply gap, having AI skills can open up endless opportunities for those looking to enter or grow in this high-value field.

2. Smart Manufacturing Skills

China’s manufacturing sector is facing a severe labor shortage, with 30 million roles to go unfilled by 2025. This is almost half of all jobs in the industry. The shortage is most severe among low-skilled workers, a big challenge for the sector. As manufacturing continues to grow and upgrade, having the right skills is key for those looking to get into this field.

3. Healthcare Skills

China’s aging population is driving the need for healthcare services, with 28% of the population expected to be over 60 by 2040. This is driving the country’s focus on building healthcare infrastructure, especially under the “Healthy China 2030” initiative.

The demand for specialized care, especially geriatric nursing, will grow steadily from 2024 to 2033 as the population ages. Ensuring quality healthcare for all, including rural areas, is key as the country aims to improve access and efficiency in the healthcare system.

4. Automotive Engineering Skills

China’s automotive engineering industry is booming with the shift towards energy saving and new energy vehicles. According to experts, the total demand for skilled workforce is expected to reach 1.2 million by 2025. However, there is a shortage of 1.03 million people, so there is a wide range of opportunities in this industry.

With the government’s strong support through “Made in China” and focus on energy-saving EVs and eco-friendly transportation, the automotive sector will change.

5. Cybersecurity Skills

The demand for cybersecurity talents is highest in industries like energy, telecommunications, politics, law and finance. It is driven by their advanced internet industries, government organizations, and large state-owned enterprises. However, China will have a cybersecurity talent gap of 3.27 million by 2027, with higher education institutions only fostering 30,000 talent per year.

Key regions like Beijing, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Shanghai account for 48% of this demand. As digital infrastructure grows, governments and businesses are relying more and more on skilled professionals to protect their critical systems, so cybersecurity will be a key focus for China’s future workforce.

6. Data Science Skills

China is becoming a hub for data science professionals with its ambition to be the world leader in AI by 2030. With the rapid adoption of new technologies, the demand for data scientists with AI skills has soared. But there is a shortage of local talents so the opportunities are huge for global talents. Chinese industries cannot meet their demands locally so they are actively looking for data science talents globally. This is why data scientists play a critical role in innovation and meeting the evolving needs of China’s technology driven industries.

7. Cloud Computing Skills

China will increase its computing capacity by 30% by 2025 to become a digital powerhouse. The public cloud market will reach $65.95 billion by 2024 and there is huge demand for talents. But there are not enough qualified professionals. In cloud computing, there are 4 job openings for every qualified person. In search algorithms, more than 2 roles are unfilled for each suitable candidate. This is the urgent need for talents in China’s booming tech industry.

How to Succeed in China’s Job Market

Getting the right skills is key to success in China’s booming job market. Focus on high demand areas like AI, cloud computing and healthcare. Add language skills like Mandarin to your toolkit to communicate. Build strong professional networks and stay up to date with industry trends to increase your chances of success.

1. Guang'an Vocational and Technical College: Guang’an Vocational and Technical College offers vocational training in various fields such as architecture, biomedicine, computer science, engineering, IT, healthcare and business management. Practical skills focused, their programs aim to meet industry needs and prepare individuals for careers in emerging industries.

2. Jiangsu Vocational College of Information Technology: Jiangsu Vocational College of Information Technology offers vocational training in Microelectronics Technology, Internet of Things Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Business Administration and Art Design. These programs are skills focused to meet industry needs.

3. Liming Vocational University: Liming Vocational University offers vocational training in applied engineering, information technology, business management and humanities. Key programs include civil engineering, intelligent manufacturing, IT, international trade and entrepreneurship. The university is skills focused and industry collaborative to prepare students for emerging industries.

Conclusion

China has many job opportunities, especially in manufacturing, AI and cloud computing. As industries change, staying up to date with new skills is key to getting well paid jobs. Focus on areas like AI and advanced manufacturing techniques will keep you competitive.

Edstellar can help you enhance and organize your skills while Skill Matrix can help you identify gaps. Continuous training enables individuals and organizations in China to innovate, sustain and succeed in the ever changing job market.