Students of Beijing-based Changping Vocational School were the recipients on Tuesday of 14 new cars from Toyota Motor Corp. to help them learn how to fix them.

The 3.26-million-yuan worth of donation from the Japanese auto giant includes engines and gearboxes. A scholarship of 6.52 million yuan (around US$815,000) was also established.

Liu Zhanshan, a senior official in charge of vocational education with the Chinese Ministry of Culture, said Toyota introduced its T-TEP (Toyota Technical Training Program) to Chinese vocational schools in 1994.

Students attending the program will have a chance to find jobs in the sale branches of Toyota.

"China is in urgent need for skilled workers in auto industry," Liu said.

Earlier this year, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said China would give more prominence to the development of vocational education. By 2010, vocational middle schools are expected to recruit 8 million students.

Yoshi Inaba, vice president of Toyota Motor Corp., said the Toyota training program is also taught in many other countries to ensure the automaker has enough technicians who know how to fix Toyota vehicles.

"I hope Chinese students taking the Toyota training program make a contribution to the local vehicle industry," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2007)