Hangzhou offers training courses to migrant workers

There is a new trend among employers in the eastern city of Hangzhou. Many are now offering training courses for migrant workers. These schools can be found on over 1,000 construction sites in the city.

Five years ago, some employers came up with the idea of offering them further education in their leisure time.

Two million migrant workers earn their living in the city that Marco Polo called the most beautiful in the world.

When they are done with one day's work on construction sites, they actually don't really feel like doing anything at all.

Many of the migrant workers are not well-educated. They do not have a good understanding of their own rights. This makes them vulnerable. Five years ago, some employers came up with the idea of offering them further education in their leisure time.

Construction contractor Kong Qingsheng said, "Migrant workers deserve respect and care. They are the ones who help the rest of society to prosper. The city could not be so beautiful without their hard work."

The schools offer flexible schedules. Classes can be arranged whenever the workers are available. And the content of the lessons are tailored to the requests of the workers, ranging from constructing skills to magic.

The cost of such a school is minimal. And the rewards benefit everyone.

Wang Xiaomei, director of Hangzhou Spiritual Civilization Office, said, "This is an effort to build a harmonious society. Hangzhou is a city with high quality of life. As a group that contributes a great deal to the city, migrant workers have the right to enjoy its benefits."

So far, over 300,000 workers have been trained in these special schools.

And the success of the project means more schools are expected to be established in other industries which employ many migrants.