A total of 300,000 citizens in Shanghai, East China, will each get 2,000 yuan (about US$250) of government funds to learn practical skills this year.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau, the municipal government will set up a bank account for people who have difficulties in finding jobs and those who need to improve their professional competence.

Each account will contain 2,000 yuan or more allocated from the city's unemployment insurance fund. The account will remain active until the people retire, Monday's China Youth Daily reported.

People are free to choose from training programs publicized on the government website and they can use the government funds after they finish training and obtain competence certificates.

All unemployed people, surplus rural laborers, graduates of schools of higher learning and employees in service, who have permanent residence in Shanghai, can apply for the government funds to attend training programs.

Unemployed people and surplus rural laborers are entitled to 100 percent funding from the government, and university graduates and employees in service will have 50 percent of their training fees paid for, according to the bureau.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2006)