Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the significance of the "engineer dividend" in China's economic growth, highlighting the need for high-quality human resources, particularly engineers, to drive the next phase of economic development [1][6]. Group 1: Engineer Workforce Growth - China's engineer workforce has grown from 521,000 in 2000 to 1,765,300 in 2020, an increase of approximately 3.4 times, with an annual growth rate of 6.3% [2]. - In 2020, the total number of scientists and engineers in China was 1.2 times that of the EU, 2.6 times that of the US, 5.1 times that of the UK, 5.5 times that of Germany, 9 times that of France, and 16.4 times that of Italy [2]. Group 2: Impact on Industry - The "engineer dividend" has facilitated the transformation of industries from labor-intensive to technology-intensive, leading to the emergence of advanced manufacturing companies [2]. - BYD, for instance, has grown from a startup with 20 employees to a global enterprise with nearly 1 million employees, driven by an engineering spirit and a workforce of over 100,000 engineers by 2024 [2]. Group 3: Education and Talent Development - There is a need for improved quality in the engineer workforce, as a significant portion (nearly 40%) holds only an associate degree, while less than 9% have master's or doctoral degrees [3]. - The ideal structure of the engineer workforce should maintain a reasonable ratio among outstanding engineers, field engineers, technical personnel, and industrial workers [3]. Group 4: National Initiatives - The "Outstanding Engineer" program was established as a strategic talent initiative by the Central Talent Work Conference in September 2021, with recognition of outstanding engineers and teams in January 2024 [4]. - The Ministry of Education is promoting the development of "new engineering" disciplines and has established national outstanding engineer innovation research institutes in key regions [4]. Group 5: Innovative Training Mechanisms - Effective engineer training requires integration of education and industry, with new organizational structures like the National Outstanding Engineer Colleges being established [5]. - The training mechanism includes joint enrollment and training between universities and enterprises, allowing students to spend more time in practical settings [5]. Group 6: Addressing Talent Shortages - Despite the ongoing release of the "engineer dividend," there is a shortage of top-tier engineers, necessitating an expansion of quality undergraduate and graduate education to cultivate outstanding engineers [6].