A ceremony for masters and doctoral students in engineering beginning their internships with OVC companies is held on Sept 8. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

A ceremony for Grade 2022 masters and doctoral students in engineering to receive practical training at various enterprises was held in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China, or OVC), on Sept 8.

Engineering students from eight universities attend the ceremony. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

The event was attended by officials of the Hubei and Wuhan governments dealing with education, sci-tech innovation, economy and information technology and welcomed students from eight top-notch Chinese universities, including the University of Science and Technology of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Wuhan University, and Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

OVC is one of China's five major pilot zones in the national outstanding engineer cultivation program, and the fostering of master's and doctoral students will last for three and five years, respectively, enabling students to practice what they have learned at enterprises.

The interior of an apartment built for engineering students. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

So far, the valley has recruited two batches of such engineering students from 2022 to 2023, and they will be assigned to 21 local firms, including HGTECH and Guide Infrared. The valley has also built special apartments for these students to live in.

Yan Dapeng, vice president and chief engineer of Raycus Laser, shared how he transformed from a college lecturer into an engineer and how determined he was to return to China to pursue his dream after studying overseas.