A week-long training program under an international volunteer service project run by Nantong concluded in Yangon, Myanmar, at the end of August, with 42 trainees receiving certificates of completion.

Myanmar trainees show their certificates of completion. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]

The textile and garment industry is Myanmar's largest export-earning industry, accounting for more than 60 percent of manufactured exports. However, a shortage of skilled technical and managerial workers has become a major constraint on industrial upgrading. Chinese-invested textile companies also face a growing demand for skilled local workers, while local training systems have struggled to meet the need.

It was against this backdrop that the volunteer service project was launched in 2023.

The Nantong and Qidong federations of returned overseas Chinese coordinate resources, the China Textile and Garment Association in Myanmar offers local support and practical training through its network of 412 member factories and more than 400,000 Myanmar workers, and professional vocational colleges in China contribute teachers and curricula, creating a model that combines skills training, cultural exchange and volunteer service.

The project has introduced a modern vocational education model and offers customized courses in garment pattern making, textile quality testing and international trade. Training combines vocational skills with Chinese-language instruction, while teachers and students from China and Myanmar are paired for continued learning and communication.

Over the past three years, the project has organized more than 10 activities, including youth exchanges, school partnerships and cultural exchanges, benefiting about 300 people.

Ko Thet, a trainee from Mandalay, said the training gave him a better understanding of pattern making and opportunities to apply the skills he learned in real-world settings.

The project has also been included in several 2026 volunteer service programs and initiatives at the national and provincial levels in China.