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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

Taitung County Offers Crochet, Knitting Classes to Boost Skills for Middle-Aged and New Immigrants

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The Taitung County Government in Taiwan is offering a crochet and knitting class to enhance employment skills for middle-aged individuals and new immigrants.
  • The 140-hour program trained 24 participants, resulting in diverse handmade items like hats, bags, and accessories.
  • This initiative aims to boost the competitiveness of these demographics in the evolving job market and encourage lifelong learning.

The Taitung County Government in Taiwan has launched a "Crochet and Knitting Certificate In-Service Program" designed to equip middle-aged individuals and new immigrants with specialized skills, thereby enhancing their employment prospects. The comprehensive 140-hour course successfully trained 24 participants, showcasing their proficiency through a variety of handcrafted items including hats, bags, dolls, and decorative accessories.

Taitung County Magistrate Rao Ching-ling highlighted the program's importance in addressing the needs of an aging society and a changing industrial landscape. She emphasized that middle-aged individuals and new immigrants are increasingly vital components of the local workforce. The county government's commitment to vocational training, tailored to local demands, aims to improve participants' competitiveness through skill development, certification guidance, and employment support.

As industrial types continue to transform and the aging society approaches, middle-aged people and new immigrants have gradually become important resources for the local labor force.

— Rao Ching-lingThe Taitung County Magistrate explains the rationale behind the vocational training program.

Chen Shu-lan, Director of the Social Affairs Department, noted the growing trend of integrating handmade crafts with lifestyle aesthetics, cultural creativity, and micro-entrepreneurship. Following the success of previous "Patchwork Certificate Classes," the crochet and knitting program aims to provide systematic training, enabling more individuals to acquire professional skills and gain a competitive edge in the job market.

The program's curriculum covered fundamental techniques, pattern interpretation, product design, and practical application. All 24 participants completed their certification works, which are now under review. Upon successful review, they are expected to receive 24 entry-level crochet and knitting certificates. This qualification opens avenues for them to pursue careers in handmade craft instruction, design cultural and creative products, undertake freelance projects, or establish small businesses, thereby creating new opportunities for their second careers.

In recent years, handmade crafts combined with lifestyle aesthetics, cultural and creative design, and micro-entrepreneurship have become a trend.

— Chen Shu-lanThe Director of the Social Affairs Department discusses the market relevance of the training.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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