1. Introduction
In recent years, the Zhejiang provincial government has actively implemented the “two stability and one promotion” policy package, which has effectively promoted the stable development of foreign trade and foreign investment. In 2021, Zhejiang Province will achieve cross-border e-commerce imports and exports of 330.29 billion yuan, an increase of 191.58 billion yuan over the previous year, a year-on-year increase of 138.12%, and the scale accounts for about one-sixth of the country, of which exports are 243.02 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 39.3%. During the same period, exports through the customs cross-border e-commerce management platform increased by 3.7 times. (Data source: “Analysis of the Development and Development Trend of Cross-border E-commerce Industry in Zhejiang Province in 2021”) Although the data is good, it is found that there is still much room for improvement in the training of cross-border e-commerce talents in the province. Foreign trade and foreign investment is the main driving force for promoting the development of the national economy. In order to ensure its fairness and stability and the formation of new industries such as cross-border e-commerce, it is necessary to strengthen the strength of talent training.
2. Strengthening the Training of Cross-Border E-Commerce Talents Is an Inevitable Trend
As the frontier of cross-border e-commerce, Zhejiang province has a good foundation for foreign trade, cross-border transactions are increasing, and cross-border e-commerce has driven economic development. In order to further stabilize foreign trade, stabilize foreign investment and promote consumption, professional talents are indispensable.
2.1. Necessity
Cross-border e-commerce is a new driving force to promote the upgrading of China’s industrial structure. Cross-border e-commerce will bring new development opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises to build international brands and transform from traditional international trade to digital international trade, which has great industry potential. To improve the opening level of the Chinese market, cross-border e-commerce is the inevitable product of the current period and the main carrier of resource allocation in the world market. Relying on the strong competitive advantage of China’s import and export market, cross-border e-commerce will gradually break through the access barriers of the international trading market and effectively promote the flow of cross-border goods [1]. To create new economic growth points in China, cross-border e-commerce is an inevitable product of the Internet era and an important embodiment of “Internet+ foreign trade”. It will also form a new economic and social development hotspot in China and bring new impetus to the stable development of China’s foreign trade and facilitation cooperation.
2.2. Feasibility
It has the national leading e-commerce industry resource advantage, e-commerce development level in Zhejiang Province in domestic and even the world, and has the world’s largest B 2B electricity network platform Alibaba, China’s largest private Internet payment platform Alipay Company, etc., is the “leader” of cross-border electricity industry. Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jinhua, Yiwu and other cities in Zhejiang Province have become the first national pilot cities for cross-border transactions and e-commerce, and have taken the lead in bold exploration of cross-border e-commerce issues, and accumulated important experience. With good advantages of comprehensive basic resources, Zhejiang has good trade infrastructure, solid electronic information industry, mature logistics business, offline parks with obvious benefits and other comprehensive resource advantages, which has laid a strong guarantee for the development of online free trade zone. With regional advantages conducive to the development of e-commerce, Zhejiang and the Yangtze River Delta region where they are located have prominent block economic characteristics, rich specialized product resources in the region, and small and medium-sized commodity production enterprises have certain brand advantages, which provides necessary conditions for the development of cross-border e-commerce.
2.3. Urgency
Due to the influence of trade protectionism, the transaction dependence between countries will decrease, and the amount of China’s imported goods from other countries will gradually decline, which is not conducive to the development of China’s cross-border e-commerce. At the same time, due to the impact of COVID-19, enterprises in many countries are becoming stricter in the fields of entry, transportation, customs clearance and other fields, while cross-border e-commerce is also facing difficulties in capital turnover and “difficult to sell”. While enterprises are blooming great potential, cross-border e-commerce is also accepting challenges from the industrial dilemma. Under the dual pressure of COVID-19 and the increasing tension of international trade relations, it is urgent for cross-border e-commerce companies to “stand up and go global”.
3. Problems Existing in Training Cross-Border E-Commerce Talents in Zhejiang Province
At present, with the rapid development of cross-border e-commerce industry at home and abroad, transnational e-commerce talents have become an obstacle to the development of the industry. In addition, the COVID-19 epidemic has intensified the turbulence of the international pattern, and foreign trade has been greatly affected. Under this background, the training of cross-border e-commerce talents in Zhejiang Province is facing new challenges and requirements.
3.1. The Contradiction between the Rapid Development of the Industry and the Lag of Technical Personnel Training
First is time behind, since 2016, the State Council began to allow the ordinary institutions of higher education to increase cross-border e-commerce disciplines, to promote production fusion, but until 2019 ordinary university undergraduate professional directory increased the cross-border e-commerce disciplines, ordinary university training level obviously lags behind the industry development level.
Moreover, the number of talents is backward. The national annual supply of cross-border e-commerce talents is about 2 million, and more than 80% of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises have feedback, and they have a huge gap in cross-border e-commerce talents. (Data source: China E-commerce Report (2021)) Finally, the quality lags behind. There are a large number of graduates in the school every year. However, because the students’ knowledge learning is only based on the theoretical basis and the lack of professional ability, the students who invest in cross-border e-commerce work cannot make substantial contributions to the development of enterprises and the industry [2].
3.2. The Contradiction between the High Demand for Talents and the Immature University Training System
First, compound talent knowledge system construction is not perfect. On the one hand, because China since 2012 to speed up the implementation of the cross-border e-commerce pilot, has formed a new industry based on Internet+, universities because of realistic conditions, and face such a new industry demand, theoretical knowledge innovation is still in the stage of learning and the summary, plus the actual teaching is still in case analysis and observation stage, behind the school actual teaching development, disconnection is very serious. On the other hand, many schools do not independently set up cross-border e-commerce disciplines, but only attach the disciplines to completely different disciplines such as international economy and trade, commercial English or information science and technology. It is very difficult to coordinate interdisciplinary and cross-departmental educational resources, resulting in a shortage of talents and discipline Settings. For example, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics and other universities in Zhejiang Province that take economics and management as key disciplines have not opened cross-border e-commerce majors and independently set up cross-border e-commerce courses.
Second, the practical ability of innovation and entrepreneurship is insufficient, with few competition activities, few practice opportunities, and little interaction between schools and enterprises. In addition to the professional knowledge of cross-border e-commerce, basic professional qualities such as learning ability, teamwork ability and professional dedication are also important passes for students to enter social work and move towards professionalism. However, the competition and enterprise practice opportunities provided by colleges and universities cannot improve students’ internal quality and practical ability.
Finally, there is a serious shortage of university teachers. Many cross-border e-commerce teachers are facing the problem of “three no”. First, “no basic knowledge”. Many teachers who have professional knowledge of cross-border e-commerce do not have a systematic professional knowledge system of cross-border e-commerce, which makes teachers and students seriously lack of basic knowledge and cannot meet the job needs of multinational enterprises. Second, “no practical experience”. After completing their studies, many teachers do not participate in cross-border e-commerce related work to carry out teaching activities. They do not know the real industry situation. In addition, the proportion of external teachers in the school is very small, so they cannot cultivate talents to solve practical problems and have practical skills. Third, “no practical training operation”, there are no practical training operation skills in the course, so that students have a simple understanding of the online store operation, visual image processing, website marketing and other relevant knowledge points, but the practical application is not enough [3].
3.3. The Contradiction between Industry Demand Stratification and Talent Distribution
In addition to professional personnel in market marketing and operation, cross-border logistics and art photography, cross-border e-commerce also needs to master platform operation technology and compound talents who have a deep understanding of big data analysis, user experience and financial services. However, the “2021 Foreign Trade Cross-border E-commerce Industry Talent Research Report” shows that there is a flood of professional talents in the industry and a scarcity of compound talents, resulting in uneven distribution of talents and insufficient motivation to promote the development of the industry.
4. Zhejiang Has Become a Strategy of Cross-Border E-Commerce Talent Training Highland
In view of the three contradictions in cross-border e-commerce talent training in Zhejiang Province, the author puts forward the following three “Zhejiang paths”. They are: internal and external collaborative education, shortening the lagging gap, cooperation between school, government, bank and enterprise, jointly building the training system, strengthening the top-level design, promoting the echelon construction, in order to form the education joint force, strengthening the education effect, accelerate, and Zhejiang Province has become a cross-border e-commerce talent training highland.
4.1. Internal and External Collaborative Education to Shorten the Lag Gap
Domestic talent training, foreign talent introduction. Internal: mainly for multinational trading companies and cross-border electricity sites, through training to master enterprise management, finance, accounting and knowledge in the field of electricity, master the international computer science and its Internet information, cross-border electricity process and operation characteristics, and can build and management of foreign e-commerce network, through China’s national professional certification, engaged in international trade electricity, Internet, small and medium-sized enterprise management, electricity business service. Outside: High bonuses and high-level research bases attract the world’s leading talents, and the government has introduced professional immigration policies to attract all kinds of overseas talents. Enterprises focus on “mass entrepreneurship and innovation” and build a development highland for overseas returnees. In 2019, the Implementation Opinions of the People’s Government of Hangzhou Municipality on Accelerating the Development of Cross-border E-commerce was officially issued, encouraging cross-border e-commerce enterprises to introduce professional talents. In the same year, Hangzhou Comprehensive Pilot Zone cooperated with Alibaba Ali Express to launch the “Sail to Hangzhou” Global Cross-border E-commerce Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition, attracting nearly 1,300 people from all over the world to participate, and introducing international cross-border e-commerce talents in the form of “talent + project + industry”.
The industry absorbs talent, outside the industry. Inside: create a good industry atmosphere and establish the industry reputation; appropriately reduce the recruitment threshold and increase the salary. Outside: improve the industry rules and regulations, protect the labor rights and interests of cross-border e-commerce talents; maintain high bonuses and benefits, enhance the sense of achievement and belonging of talents in the industry; clarify the industry development blueprint to ensure the future opportunities of talents.
Professional education in the school, and social practice outside the school. Inside: In professional and basic teaching, we provide international trade practice, foreign trade correspondence and online store operation management and control, cross-border e-commerce marketing and promotion, transnational e-commerce customer service, visual product design, international trade logistics management and cross-border practice. The practical teaching adopts the cross-border e-commerce authenticity platform, where enterprises launch actual products and set up actual trading stores, and school teachers and enterprise instructors train students’ practical skills together [4]. Outside: universities build training bases and provide internship opportunities for students. The training process base mainly provides services for all aspects of the practice of colleges and universities. Students can use the platform reasonably in the training base, and constantly improve through practice, and master the relevant business capabilities in cross-border e-commerce operation. At the same time, it is necessary to sign more contracts with more local large companies for cross-border e-commerce development, and establish a closed loop of cultivating talents and nurturing talents to the company, so as to continuously bring high-quality cross-border e-commerce talents to the market. We should make good use of local talents, introduce top talents, train reserve talents, and retain key talents.
4.2. Cooperation between School, Government, Industry and Enterprises to Jointly Build a Training System
School: in terms of curriculum, seize the core teaching, optimize the teaching method, gradually establish professional curriculum system, but also want to timely understand the industry dynamics, establish cross-border e-commerce studio, provide special places such as laboratory, and equipped with computers and Internet broadband, software system, etc., to solve the actual course needs, make learners get higher quality experience. Teachers, colleges and universities in the process of cross-border electricity professional development, need to set up part-time teachers employment system, the well-known enterprise experts and scholars and the industry strong technical personnel to attract school, and participate in the curriculum and teaching skills work, introduce students to new industry development trends, colleges and universities also need to take the initiative to contact well-known enterprises, and appoint the teacher into the learning, master shop operation of practical operation, rich practical experience. Similarly, the teachers of the college also take advantage of their spare opportunities to work in enterprises, observe and learn in well-known enterprises, and complete relevant practical tasks [5].
Politics: Introduce encouraging policies, such as the expansion of cross-border e-commerce majors, or cross-border e-commerce major students can get tuition reduction for support. Provide financial support for the school to build a training base, project research, etc.
Industry: Enter universities for professional cross-border e-commerce talent training, cooperate with universities to launch cross-border e-commerce associations, and accurately locate cross-border e-commerce talents. Enter colleges and universities, undertake professional lectures, and offer courses for mass entrepreneurship and innovation.
Enterprises: Participate in the preparation of talent training plan, train teachers or serve as specific teaching tasks, including the cooperation between universities and enterprises, enterprises provide priority internship opportunities for universities, etc. In addition, various competitions can also be held in colleges and universities. With the improvement of the company’s awareness in the industry, it can also further attract talents and further enhance the strength of the enterprise.
4.3. Strengthen the Top-Level Design and Promote the Echelon Construction
Strive to build compound basic talents. Cultivate proficient in management, finance and economics, computer, trade and e-commerce professional knowledge, master English speaking, listening, translation and writing ability, modern management technology and information management idea, grasp the information management and electricity business integrated technology, have a solid professional knowledge base and excellent knowledge structure, network logic thinking, innovative entrepreneurial quality, practice ability and the basis of lifelong learning ability.
To create effective professionals. Training can grasp the trend of global political and economic situation, and master the international trade business process, can to e-commerce/network companies, electricity information service companies, and enterprises at all levels of electronic commerce departments, business operation in the Internet environment, network product planning and management, big data mining and management, professional management and information technology consulting services, professionals.
Committed to casting comprehensive senior talents. Cultivate international, comprehensive, application and innovative senior personnel with knowledge in operation management, marketing communication, visual creativity, computer technology, international trade and other aspects, good professional quality and rich practical experience. On the basis, the school has formed a talent training echelon in three stages of cross-border e-commerce, trained cross-border e-commerce personnel at all stages, and established a dynamic adjustment mechanism of talent training according to needs and distribution according to needs.
5. Conclusion
Cross-border e-commerce is a vital way to explore new advantages in foreign trade competition, enhance foreign trade competitiveness and accelerate the construction of foreign investment and foreign trade power. It is building a free, open, universal and inclusive global trade platform, so millions of consumers can buy globally and medium-sized enterprises can sell globally. It truly achieved world interconnection. Since 2017, the cross-border e-commerce industry in Zhejiang Province has maintained a good development trend, and its development level ranks among the top in China. The industry situation is booming, but for the development trend to continue to improve steadily, it is essential to train talent preparation, which is not only the foundation of the development of the industry, but also determines the upper limit of the industry. With the liberalization of China’s epidemic policy in 2023, the situation of cross-border e-commerce will have great changes. I hope this article can provide new ideas for the cultivation of cross-border e-commerce talents in Zhejiang, so as to promote the smooth transition and rapid development of China’s cross-border e-commerce industry under the new situation and new policies.