(Yicai) Dec. 15 -- The introduction of emerging technologies into traditional industries at the heart of China's manufacturing upgrade has led to the need for engineers to also step up their abilities, according to industry insiders.

With rapid technological change and tougher competition, the requirements for engineers are higher than ever before, Zhou Qinghua, director of the development research institute of Jiangnan Shipyard Group, told Yicai.

Engineers should keep an open mind and learn new things every day, including knowledge beyond their discipline, according to Zhou, who was recognized as one of the Shanghai Outstanding Young Engineers earlier this week.

Engineers also need to have an overview of the entire situation, said Zhu Jiamin, chief engineer at Shanghai Superconducting Technology. They can only succeed by integrating the entire production process and running it smoothly, added Zhu, who was named as a Shanghai Outstanding Engineer last year.

College education should encourage people to study in different fields, which can help them absorb new knowledge from various areas in the future, Chen Guoming, president of MicroPort CardioFlow Medtech and honored as a Shanghai Outstanding Engineer this year, told Yicai.

His major was engineering mechanics, but because Microport Cardioflow's research products involve many fields, including medicine, robotics, and new materials, he taught himself about other related disciplines such as medicine.

With the digitization, networking, and intelligence of the manufacturing industry picking up pace, the jobs situation and trends for university students have also changed. About 57 percent of new engineering graduates were hired this year, a far higher proportion than for other disciplines, according to data from online recruitment platform Zhaopin.

The talent gap in China's 10 key manufacturing areas may near 30 million by 2025, according to a report jointly released by the education ministry and two other government departments.

Editor: Martin Kadiev