Deputy Education Minister Chu Chun-chang (朱俊彰) says that even as AI becomes increasingly convenient and prevalent, soft power from talent remains key for Taiwan. In light of current industrial trends and declining birth rates, convincing parents and students to enter technical and vocational schools has become an important challenge for the Education Ministry. That came at the 2026 Taiwan Technical and Vocational Education and Training Convention on Wednesday, July 15.

The event brings together industry, government, academia, and research institutions to jointly define the direction for cultivating technical and vocational talent in Taiwan. Chu said at the event that this kind of talent has been a key factor in the success of many industries in Taiwan. He added that what everyone sees as Taiwan’s hard power is merely the floor for future development. It is Taiwan’s soft power from talent that will determine the ceiling.

The event was organized by a nonprofit organization Skills for U. Its CEO Max Huang (黃偉翔) said that the skill gap has become the biggest bottleneck in current corporate transformation efforts. He expressed hope that this annual conference will help identify effective approaches to cultivating technical and vocational talent, allowing successful methods to be replicated and invested in.