Yueyang Open University and the Yueyang City Barbecue Association, with the support of the city government, have agreed to create the country's first such professional education platform.
The Report reports this with reference to the China Daily newspaper.
"The institute is transforming what is now the kebab shop economy into a more structured and integrated industry chain," said Yue Yanhua, secretary of the party organization of the Yueyang Open University.
Cooking on fire has become an important part of Yueyang's catering economy. There are more than 2 thousand kebab shops located here, and 50 thousand employees work in them. The annual production volume is estimated at more than 2 billion yuan ($280 million), the newspaper writes.
Jiang Zongfu, Vice President of Yueyang Open University, noted that the establishment of the barbecue Institute is a response to the problems with the employment of local residents, especially young people. According to him, many school graduates entering the labor market have difficulty finding suitable opportunities. Barbecue jobs have become popular due to the low entry threshold and relatively high income potential, he added.
