China officially recognizes 11 new professions — from digital twin engineers to incense makers
The labour market is a mirror of technological and social change. When new professions emerge, it signals that the economy is restructuring and society is seeking answers to the challenges of the times. Digitalization, the green transition and a focus on quality of life are shaping demand for skills that did not exist yesterday.
On Wednesday, China published its eighth list of new professions, officially recognizing 11 new professions and 23 new types of jobs. The new professions include: digital twin engineers, embodied intelligence robot application specialists, industrial product digital modeling specialists, sports data analysts, microgrid managers, hydrogen fuel cell production workers, water electrolysis hydrogen production workers, incense makers, shore-based ship management engineers, satellite navigation equipment installers and adjusters, and corporate sustainable development planning specialists.
Of the 11 professions, five are digital and three are "green", highlighting how new quality productive forces, the green transition and higher-quality services are changing China's labour market. The 23 new job types range from low-altitude logistics operators and low-altitude intelligent connected system administrators to AI agent developers, new energy vehicle inspectors, airport flight safety inspectors, elderly-oriented renovation designers, fresh-cut flower handlers, ice and snow sculptors, and utility workers.
"The continuous expansion of digital professions clearly marks the general trend of industrial digitalization and digital industrialization. We expect a significant shortage of digital technology specialists and skilled personnel in the coming period. At the same time, the requirements for 'green' and environmental professions continue to expand and enrich 'green' professions, showing that the national carbon reduction strategy is taking root in employment," said Zhang Wei, director of the profession classification and standardization department at the China Centre for Vocational and Technical Training.
Chinese authorities have stated that a position can be classified as a new profession only when the workforce in that field reaches a certain scale and the position demonstrates high future employment potential. Since 2019, China has released eight batches, totalling 121 new professions.
