Some 20 students from secondary vocational and technical schools in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture, Guizhou province, pose for a group photo during their trip to Hangzhou. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A week-long study trip to Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, has impressed students from Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture in Guizhou province, local media reported.

The group of 20, who are studying at secondary vocational and technical schools, delved into Hangzhou's modern and historical faces on their visit from Aug 2 to 7.

They shared ideas with Hangzhou students, visited China's leading beverage maker Wahaha Group and lift manufacturer Xio Lift, embraced cutting-edge technology at the characteristic artificial intelligence town, and saw many scenic and cultural landmarks such as West Lake, the Imperial Street of Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), and the Grand Jing-Hang Canal Museum.

"The trip was really an eye-opener," exclaimed Wang Xianyong, a 17-year-old girl of the Miao ethnic group.

Students pose with their foreign tutors. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

A first-year student of tourism from the Taijiang county vocational school, Wang said she appreciated the opportunity to broaden her horizons and tried to sharpen her practical skills during the trip.

"I made up my mind to major in tourism the first time I saw my senior schoolmates brewing drinks and making coffee at the school open day in March 2019, and was deeply attracted," Wang recalled. "The senior students had gained considerable help from Hangzhou teachers, and so did I."

Following a national program to support rural and underdeveloped areas, Hangzhou teamed up with Qiandongnan years ago to strengthen its vocational education. The scenario of local parents preferring to have their children look for jobs rather than continue their studies at vocational and technical schools is now a thing of the past, as the number of students reading at such schools has increased greatly in recent years.

"Students will find that our campus has created a new look when the new school year begins," said Zhang Fan, a teacher from Hangzhou and also principal of the Taijiang county secondary vocational school.

Students show off their pastries. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]