TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s environment minister said central Taiwan’s dense manufacturing base makes it a “key battleground” for the net-zero transition as the government opened a regional green workforce training hub on Monday.
The Ministry of Environment inaugurated the Central Taiwan Net-Zero Green-Collar Talent Training Center, which aims to expand the workforce needed to meet Taiwan’s 2050 net-zero emissions target, per the ministry. The center is part of a broader national alliance spanning 37 universities and four regional hubs across Taiwan.
The new center is headed by National Yunlin University of Science and Technology in collaboration with eight other central Taiwan universities. Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) and YunTech President Chang Chuan-yu (張傳育) signed a memorandum of understanding at the opening ceremony to integrate academic resources with policy-driven training programs, per YunTech.
Peng said central Taiwan’s concentration of traditional and manufacturing industries creates urgent demand for green professionals who understand climate policy and corporate adaptation strategies. The ministry aims to transform “green manpower” into highly skilled “green talents” by bringing accredited training resources closer to learners.
Chang said the university has long promoted sustainability through campus governance, teaching, and research, and will use its applied education experience to anchor net-zero talent development in the region, per CNA. He added that hands-on and technical training will be central to the program’s implementation.
Since enrollment opened in April last year, the program has trained more than 1,000 participants, with about 40% coming from non-STEM backgrounds and roughly equal shares of working professionals and students. Nearly 30% hold graduate degrees, while women account for close to 45% of trainees.
The ministry said its 48-hour core training program, along with supplementary courses, is expected to produce 3,500 qualified green professionals annually across Taiwan. Participants who complete the program and pass assessments receive certificates issued by the ministry.
