After one year of advanced vocational training at China's Jinhua University of Vocational Technology, 30 students from Rwanda Polytechnic Musanze College are now embarking on a new journey at home to support Rwanda's development.

KIGALI, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- After one year of advanced vocational training at China's Jinhua University of Vocational Technology (JUVT), 30 students from Rwanda Polytechnic (RP) Musanze College are now embarking on a new journey at home to support Rwanda's development.

Among the fresh graduates, 15 specialized in e-commerce, while the remaining 15 pursued electrical automation technology under a program that allowed them to complete two years' foundational training at RP-Musanze College before spending their final year in China.

For Aimable Tuyishime, a 23-year-old graduate in e-commerce, the year in China was a life-changing experience. "I spent almost a year in China, and now I am back to implement what I studied there," he said in an interview with Xinhua.

Tuyishime described China's e-commerce sector as "highly developed," adding that the teaching approach is strongly practical rather than theoretical.

"We studied all aspects of e-commerce and improved our skills through hands-on experience," Tuyishime said, adding that the study enabled him to gain extensive, real-world exposure to e-commerce in one of the world's most advanced digital markets.

During their studies, students interacted with major Chinese e-commerce companies such as Alibaba and regularly used platforms like Pinduoduo, Taobao, and JD.com for online shopping.

Inspired by this experience, Tuyishime is already working toward launching his own e-commerce platform in Rwanda. Together with friends and team members, he is developing a website and application designed to offer Rwandans a similar online shopping experience.

"This is the right time to put all the skills and experience I gained into practice," he said, adding that he hopes the platform will have a positive impact on Rwanda's economy.

Protais Muhire, a graduate in electrical automation technology, also described the year in China as a turning point, saying the exposure to advanced equipment and technologies significantly strengthened his skills.

"In China, I studied programmable logic controller (PLC) programming, robotics, hydraulic and pneumatic systems," he said.

Muhire highlighted the abundance of training equipment at JUVT, which allowed students from Rwanda to engage deeply in practical work. "We had access to many machines, PLCs, robots, pneumatic and hydraulic components, which helped us apply what we learned in real situations."

Muhire's cohort also achieved international recognition. While in China, he, together with other Rwandan and Chinese students, won the Excellence Award at the 2025 World Vocational College Skills Competition Championship Finals.

"This achievement showed us that what we study can be applied in practice and can help our community," he said, adding that the training received in China is highly relevant to Rwanda's context, especially as local industries increasingly adopt modern technologies to improve productivity.

Looking ahead, Muhire plans to use his skills to contribute to Rwanda's industrial development. "Industries are moving from old systems to new automated systems. I want to help upgrade industrial processes using automation technologies like PLCs and robotics," he said.

Speaking to Xinhua, Qian Xiangming, dean of Musanze International College at JUVT, said that under this program, Rwanda has sent 60 students to JUVT for advanced studies for two consecutive years and the feedback from local employers has been very positive.

"Through this program, we aim to cultivate outstanding local talent, support employment, and enhance the quality and efficiency of vocational education in Rwanda," he said, adding that the initiative ultimately supports national industrial upgrading and development.

Emile Abayisenga, principal of RP-Musanze College, described the graduation as a moment of pride. "This achievement reflects the strength of international collaboration, industry-driven training, and practical, future-oriented education," he said.

The skills acquired by the graduates align closely with Rwanda's Vision 2050 and the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy, Abayisenga added.