The term Talents refers to people with expertise or skills who work creatively for the society. They are the trained personnel of the human resources, and the prime driving force of economic and social development. Shaanxi provincial government has always attached great importance to the development of talents, has vigorously implemented the strategy of revitalizing the province through science, education and talents, and has continuously facilitated education, training, utilization and stimulation of talents, so as to provide a strong foundation for the economic and social development.

The total number of talents and their quality are increasing. By the end of 2008, there were 3.029 million talents, accounting for 8% of the total population of the province, and 9.8% of the province’s human resources. 38.3% of the staff working for organizations has college or higher degrees. There are 32 researchers per 10,000 workers. 11% of the major workforce has received higher education. Highly-skilled workers account for 23% of the skill workers. And these talents are more and more competitive.

The platform for talents to innovate has been expanded and more efficient. By the end of 2008, there were 10 colleges and universities with 1.209 million students; the enrollment rate of colleges and universities was 26.3%; there were 126 state-level key disciplines, 560 doctor stations, 1414 master stations, 109 post-doctoral mobile stations, and 59 post-doctoral work stations. Shaanxi has maintained its dominant position in education and has become a regional manpower development center. There were 1094 research institutions in various fields, 155 national key labs, engineering technology research centers, and special key labs, 142 provincial key labs and engineering technology research centers, 20 national and provincial high-tech, economic and technological development zones, 5 high-tech industry incubators, and three university science and technology parks. Shaanxi is one of strongest provinces in terms of comprehensive scientific and technological strength. There were 267 county level or above labor markets, and 4659 human resource service companies. A human resource market service system has basically taken form in Shaanxi.

Policies on talents are being improved gradually and a new work pattern has taken shape. Shaanxi provincial government has made the talents strategy the first strategy in the efforts to build the province into a strong one in West China. It has strengthened planning, coordination and guidance, clearly defined the way the Party manage talents, actively explored into an effective way of talents management, and established a talents policy system with Shaanxi characteristics. The work pattern has basically taken form which features the guidance of the Party Committee, the initiative of organizing departments, the close cooperation of relevant departments, and wide participation of civic forces.

At present, the overall level of talent development in our province still lags behind developed areas, and is yet to be enhanced to meet the demands of the economic and social development and competition of talents. Major problems are—the development of talents and the economic and social development are not closely integrated; the advantage in talent resources hasn’t been translated into economic advantage; the lack of high-end innovative talents and skilled workers; weak innovation and entrepreneurship; unhealthy personnel structure; flaws in talent development mechanisms have not yet been corrected.