On 26 July 2024, the Open University of China (OUC) hosted a signing ceremony for partnership in ideological and political education and ethics training initiatives for domestic service workers, along with a workshop on professional ethics and competency development.
This event was guided and supported by the Department of Social Development under the National Development and Reform Commission and the Department of Trade in Services under the Ministry of Commerce. Senior officials from various departments, including Director Liu Ming of the Department of Social Development, Deputy Director Wang Bo of the Department of Trade in Services, Deputy Director Li Yingli of the Department of Vocational and Adult Education under the Ministry of Education, Second-Level Inspector Wu Houde of the Department of Migrant Workers under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and Director Wang Zuo of the Employment Services Division under the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, attended the event and delivered speeches. Wang Qiming, secretary of the Party Committee and president of the OUC, delivered a welcome speech.
Liu Ming highlighted that high-quality domestic services are essential for the well-being of millions of households. The National Development and Reform Commission has been actively implementing the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, promoting the quality improvement and expansion of the domestic service industry. They have coordinated with relevant departments to continuously focus on planning, policy support, and financial guarantees, and have concurrently implemented three major initiatives: the "Exemplar" programme for quality improvement and expansion, training enhancement for domestic workers, and the construction of a credit system for the domestic industry. Efforts are being made to advance community-based domestic services and employee-type transformations, aiming to drive high-quality development in the domestic service sector. Moving forward, the Commission will prioritize enhancing the quality of domestic services, deepening the integration of industry and education, promoting a demand-oriented domestic education and training system, and addressing the structural mismatch between talent supply and industry demand. They will emphasise both vocational skills and ethical training, strengthen comprehensive training for domestic workers, and continuously improve their quality to enhance service standards and meet the public's needs and expectations.
Wang Qiming noted that as a new type of higher education institution directly under the Ministry of Education, the OUC actively implements the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and proactively serves the initiative of quality improvement and expansion of domestic services. Through the integration of non-degree and degree education, the OUC has vigorously conducted training for domestic service workers, establishing the "OUC Domestic Service" training brand, and has trained over 100,000 domestic service workers. The OUC will continue to deepen the integration of industry and education, promote the professionalisation of domestic services, develop more high-quality course resources, digitally empower the learning and growth of domestic workers, and promote the standardised and orderly development of the domestic service industry, facilitating high-quality and full employment for domestic service workers.
Wang Bo stated that the Ministry of Commerce, as the governing body for domestic services, has been continuously advancing the quality improvement and expansion of domestic services, enhancing supply quality, and releasing consumer potential in the sector. The Ministry will further improve the credit system for domestic services, facilitate supply-demand matching, and establish a comprehensive service standard system. He encouraged domestic service workers to make full use of the "Domestic Service Credit Check" platform to enhance their professional skills, ethics, and qualities, collectively fostering a favourable industry environment.
Li Yingli highlighted that the Ministry of Education will focus on deepening the intrinsic development of vocational education, strengthening both degree and non-degree continuing education, and encouraging partnerships between domestic service enterprises and regular universities and vocational schools to develop dual-upgrade programmes for academic qualifications and job skills. The Ministry supports leading domestic service companies in forming industry-education integration consortia, deepening industry-education integration, exploring pathways for high-skilled domestic service professionals, and contributing to the quality improvement, expansion, and professionalisation of the domestic service industry.
Wu Houde stated that the training in political and professional ethics is an effective way to enhance the quality and professional level of domestic workers. In June 2024, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and six other departments issued the "Opinions on Strengthening the Professionalisation of Domestic Services," which, guided by demand and problem orientation, outlined ten specific tasks and measures, including improving the standard system, enhancing vocational skills, strengthening specialised training, and optimising professional evaluations. He hoped that the OUC would widely organise domestic workers to participate in vocational skills and ethics training, guide them to achieve dual improvements in job skills and academic qualifications, promote the professionalisation of domestic services, and provide strong support for the quality improvement and expansion of the domestic service industry.
Wang Zuo noted that the All-China Federation of Trade Unions will cultivate a high-quality domestic workforce and effectively advance the professionalisation of domestic services by deepening the pilot programme for quality improvement and expansion of union-affiliated domestic services, carrying out the "Union Employment Assistance" initiative, continuously guiding the thoughts of domestic service workers, promoting union membership, and providing care services. We are committed to cultivating a high-quality domestic workforce and effectively advancing the professionalisation of the domestic service industry.
During the event, the OUC signed an agreement with the Department of Trade in Services under the Ministry of Commerce for the use of political, professional ethics, and professional competency courses for domestic workers. Building on the 840 hours of domestic vocational skills training courses launched in 2023, the OUC will progressively introduce 230 hours of courses focusing on ideological and political education, professional ethics, and occupational competencies to the national domestic service credit information platform. These courses will be accessible for free to domestic service workers nationwide, allowing them to enhance their skills and professionalism through online learning.
It has been reported that domestic service workers who successfully complete their free online studies and pass the corresponding exams via the "Domestic Service Credit Check" platform will receive training certificates from the OUC. Additionally, the duration and details of their training will be documented within their credit information records. Domestic service workers have the opportunity to engage in a blended learning approach, combining online and offline theoretical knowledge and practical skills training, through the OUC's industry-education integration talent development model. By leveraging the OUC's Credit Bank, they can continuously accumulate, certify, and convert academic credits in the field of domestic service and management. This pathway not only fosters a dual enhancement of their vocational skills and educational qualifications but also equips them with the professionalism needed for delivering higher quality services and securing more rewarding employment opportunities.
Wu Ying, dean of the School of Domestic Science at Jilin Agricultural University, and Luan Shunxi, a national first-level corporate trainer, conducted special training sessions on "Professional Competency Construction for Domestic Workers" and "Professional Ethics Construction for Domestic Workers," respectively.
Over 100 attendees participated in the event, including representatives from provincial domestic service associations and leading domestic service enterprises across the nation, leaders and experts from higher education institutions that offer domestic service programmes, and nearly 70 distinguished domestic service trainers from 35 domestic service companies.
By OUC