Microsoft China plans to set up an IT training center in Wuxi to turn out skilled professionals to work in the city's emerging IT industry.

Microsoft (China) Co Ltd and the Wuxi government on Sunday signed a deal to establish the training program.

Wuxi New District, the city's hi-tech zone, will provide infrastructure for the training center, while Microsoft will bring the technical platform and program. The center is expected to offer professional IT training to 10,000 students a year.

Yang Weize, Party chief in Wuxi, said it is committed to developing the city into the country's leading outsourcing center.

Wuxi plans to have 100 companies providing international outsourcing services and exporting software by 2010. Each company will employ at least 2,000 staff and will have an export volume of $30 million.

"We are delighted to have Microsoft as a partner to help us in our endeavor," Yang said. The Wuxi official went to India's Bangalore last month to seek cooperation with the city's outsourcing companies as well.

"We believe Microsoft's experience will help us develop a large pool of IT professionals in Wuxi," he said.

Zhang Yaqin, head of Microsoft (China), said the company is willing to help Wuxi achieve its outsourcing goal.

Yang said Wuxi's solid industry foundation and overseas business network will help it develop a strong outsourcing service industry.

Wuxi is 90 minutes' drive from Shanghai and is considered one of China's top 15 most economically developed cities.

The city's per capita GDP is expected to surpass $10,000 this year and the manufacturing industry still dominates the local economy.

(China Daily March 11, 2008)