Comment on "More high-end experts needed" (China Daily, June 8)

I live and work in China. The industry I am involved in is agricultural machinery support. This business is normally considered "low-end". We desperately need qualified personnel to service modern agricultural equipment.

Manufacturing and marketing are important, but so is after-sales support. Buyers of agricultural machinery are rapidly investing in advanced technology, and they want their investments to work well and be repaired quickly.

Many skilled technicians in China are in the middle or coming to the end of their working lives. The knowledge that students in this field are learning now is good, but it does not prepare them to solve technical problems in the field.

They are short of the practical skills and experience that would enable them to diagnosis and resolve problems. High-end experts and scholars are important, but there must also be some people willing to get their hands dirty. Please consider that "low-end experts" are needed, as well.

Anonymous, via e-mail

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(China Daily 07/12/2012 page9)