In the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, intelligent manufacturing has become a strategic high ground and main focus for countries worldwide to seize development opportunities. However, the shortage of talent supporting technical development in fields related to intelligent manufacturing is also a common challenge faced by nations. Recently, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, together with the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Bureau of Statistics, released information on 16 new professions, including Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering Technicians. This means that millions of practitioners in intelligent manufacturing engineering now have formally recognized professions.

What is intelligent manufacturing? A relevant official from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security pointed out that, from a professional perspective, intelligent manufacturing refers to organically connecting smart equipment via communication technologies during the production process to achieve automation. It involves collecting various data from the production process using sensing technologies, uploading it to industrial servers via communication means such as industrial Ethernet, performing data processing and analysis under the management of industrial software systems, and integrating with enterprise resource management software to provide optimized production solutions or customized production, ultimately achieving intelligent manufacturing.

With the rapid development of the intelligent manufacturing industry, what is the situation regarding talent demand? The answer is a huge gap. Currently, application-oriented positions in intelligent manufacturing mainly cover 5 development directions: intelligent upgrading of intelligent manufacturing equipment, intelligent upgrading of green manufacturing, intelligent upgrading of high-quality manufacturing, use and maintenance of industrial software, and industrial Internet and cloud platforms, involving more than 20 specific related job roles. According to data analysis, the predicted talent demand in the intelligent manufacturing field in 2020 was 750 million people, with a predicted talent gap of 300 million people. By 2025, the predicted talent demand will be 900 million people, with a predicted talent gap of 450 million people. The task at hand and for the foreseeable future is to supply "pillar" talent to the intelligent manufacturing industry.

With the application and development of industrial technology in traditional fields, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been well applied in areas such as smart manufacturing, smart homes, smart agriculture, intelligent transportation, and smart healthcare. Due to its broad prospects and wide range of applications, many small and medium-sized enterprises have emerged in China's specialized sectors including industry, agriculture, home appliances, and logistics. These companies offer numerous technical and skilled job opportunities in project planning, design, and system operation and maintenance, leading to a growing demand for IoT engineering professionals. Surveys indicate that the total talent shortage in the IoT industry over the next five years will exceed 1600 ten thousand people.

As the concept of artificial intelligence continues to gain popularity, a large number of job seekers are moving towards AI-related positions. The "Analysis Report on the Employment Prospects of Artificial Intelligence Engineering Technicians" released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security points out that, according to calculations, China's current talent gap in artificial intelligence exceeds 500 million people, with a domestic supply-to-demand ratio of 1:10, indicating a serious imbalance between supply and demand. The report believes that continuously strengthening talent cultivation and addressing talent shortages is an urgent priority for China.

Cloud computing, as infrastructure for an intelligent society, is assuming an increasingly important technical role in society. Analysis by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security indicates that demand for skilled talent in the cloud computing industry continues to grow steadily, with the most pronounced demand in first-tier cities. The talent gap for cloud computing in Beijing is nearly 12 million people, followed by Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, exceeding 9 million, 7 million, and 6 million people, respectively.

"The official release of new professions such as 'Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering Technicians' represents national-level recognition of these roles, clarifying the direction for talent selection and cultivation in the industry. It is an important measure to implement the national strategy of vigorously developing the intelligent manufacturing industry and promoting the construction of technical and skilled talent. Accelerating the deep application of artificial intelligence, cultivating and expanding the AI industry and talent supply, meeting the demand for AI talent under the trends of the new global technological revolution and industrial transformation, and thereby serving national strategies such as rejuvenating the country through science and education, innovation-driven development, and building a talent-strong nation, has become an important support for China's economic development," analyzed a relevant official from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.