The Craftsman College is embedded in the industrial chain, and model workers and craftsmen are integrated into the service circle
Of late, Li Gongwen—a "Grand Master Craftsman"—has been busier than ever. As a specially appointed instructor at the Artificial Intelligence Craftsman Academy in Wuhu, Anhui Province, Li leads a technical service team that frequently visits enterprises within the robotics industry chain to provide targeted, one-on-one assistance.
Recently, during a technical service matchmaking event—jointly organized by the Jiujiang District Federation of Trade Unions in Wuhu City and Wuhu Vocational and Technical University, and held at Botec Automotive Electronics (Wuhu) Co., Ltd.—Li Gongwen drew upon his own personal journey to share insights into the essence of the "craftsman spirit" and the pathways for career development, thereby fostering deeper integration between the university and the enterprise in the areas of technical problem-solving and talent cultivation.
It is understood that, in order to align with the city's already mature industrial ecosystem, the Wuhu Federation of Trade Unions has established a series of "embedded" artisan academies—such as the AI Artisan Academy, the New Energy Vehicle Artisan Academy, and the Aerospace (Low-Altitude Economy) Artisan Academy—that are seamlessly integrated into the industrial chain. Leveraging these academies, the Federation is vigorously advancing the "Model Workers and Artisans Assisting Enterprises" special initiative. Centered on harnessing the expertise of skilled artisans, cultivating distinctive occupational brands, and enhancing the professional skills of the workforce, this initiative involves the extensive implementation of enterprise-support activities, including collaborative problem-solving teams and customized training programs.
At the 2025 Wuhu Federation of Trade Unions' special work promotion meeting for the "Model Workers and Artisans Assisting Enterprises" initiative, representatives from the team of model workers and skilled artisans signed the *Wuhu City "Model Workers and Artisans Assisting Enterprises" Special Action Agreement* alongside their designated partner enterprises. This agreement clearly delineates the scope of assistance and the collaborative mechanisms involved, thereby facilitating the extension of technical and vocational services directly to the front lines of business operations.
This "Open Call for Challenges" initiative has enabled model workers and skilled craftsmen to rapidly integrate into familiar service networks, while also ensuring that their services directly address the critical pain points and bottlenecks encountered on the front lines of production.
At Wuhu Aerospace (Low Altitude Economy) Craftsman College, national model worker Ping Lihao proactively serves enterprises through the platform. He goes deep into the workshops and R&D front lines, keeping the actual needs of the company in mind and putting them into action. Especially in terms of collaboration between upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain, Ping Lihao actively promotes cooperation and resource sharing between enterprises.
During a visit to Fuchun Dyeing and Weaving, Ping Lihao took note of the promising prospects for high-performance PEEK materials in the aerospace sector and proactively facilitated a connection between the company and prime manufacturers. Currently, the two parties have reached an agreement in principle regarding cooperation in areas such as material R&D, standards formulation, and supply chain collaboration.
A similar situation frequently arises at the New Energy Vehicle Craftsmen Academy. During the critical phase of transitioning a vehicle model into production, issues regarding process compatibility—stemming from production line changeovers—led to a backlog of vehicles on the factory floor, severely hampering production efficiency. Faced with this emergency, Wang Xueyong—a "Grand Craftsman of the Nation" and Chief Technician at Chery Automobile Co., Ltd.—stepped up to the challenge; he swiftly assembled a special task force and led his team to the workshop floor to provide immediate support and resolve the complex technical issues plaguing the site.
A relevant official from the Wuhu Federation of Trade Unions stated that they will continue to drive the transformation of the Craftsmen Academy from "generic training" to "targeted empowerment," fully leveraging the pivotal role of "chain-leading" enterprises within industrial chains as well as the expertise of model workers and skilled craftsmen, thereby fostering continuous technological advancement among upstream and downstream enterprises throughout the industrial chain.
Translated by Chen Xinyue from Jinning Foreign Affairs Services of Anhui Province Co.,Ltd