TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's eastern coastal city of Hualien is now home to a pioneering environmental education hub as Tzu Chi University (慈濟大學) unveiled its "Net-Zero Green-Collar Talent Training Alliance Training Center" on Wednesday (May 14). The initiative represents a partnership between the university and Taiwan's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MOEN, 環境部), formalized through a memorandum aimed at cultivating skilled professionals equipped to address climate challenges.
The launch ceremony featured Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) alongside Tzu Chi University President Ingrid Y Liu (劉怡均), underscoring the program's governmental backing. Minister Peng revealed that the Hualien facility completes a strategic network of regional training centers across Taiwan, with locations now operating in all cardinal directions to facilitate workforce transitions toward sustainability careers, with targets to train between 2,400 and 3,500 environmental specialists each year.
President Liu emphasized her institution's longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, highlighting efforts to advance carbon neutrality across Taiwan's eastern regions and offshore territories. The educational consortium extends beyond Tzu Chi to include prominent regional institutions like National Dong Hwa University (NDHU, 東華大學) and National Ilan University (NIU, 宜蘭大學), delivering comprehensive curriculum that combines scientific principles with practical applications in areas such as climate science and emissions management.
The program's inaugural classes will commence on May 17, drawing diverse participation from academic, governmental, and business sectors. To boost enrollment among younger demographics, authorities have implemented financial support mechanisms for participants under 30 years of age, including a NT$6,000 (approximately US$198) completion bonus upon earning certification, supplemented by additional funding from Tzu Chi University's own resources.
The training initiative responds to tangible market demands, with statistics from Taiwan's prominent 104 Job Bank revealing approximately 22,000 monthly openings for sustainability-focused positions throughout 2024. This substantial employment gap underscores the economic opportunity behind Taiwan's environmental transition and validates the government's investment in specialized workforce development programs across the island. ◼