In China, many local governments are taking steps to shield industries from the financial crisis. Some are providing training to those who lost their jobs. However, as He Fei explains, one city is doing something innovative to alleviate the difficulties.

There's no such thing as a free lunch. You may have heard this saying before.
But in the city of Hangzhou,in Zhejiang province, there is something being offered that's better than a free meal.

Last month Hangzhou became the first city to pass out 500 yuan, which is about 70 US dollars, educational training coupons to its residents. Who are the people qualified to receive these coupons? They include urban employees who have lost their jobs, farmers who have lost their land, and new migrant workers entering the city.

Chief of Hangzhou's Bureau of Labor and Social Security, Zhang Jianhua, says that the objective of handing out training coupons is to increase the chances of Hangzhou citizens in the job market. He also emphasized people who are undergoing training must put in the necessary effort. Only then can they be competent in their field and only then can they turn their educational training voucher into real money.

"There's no limit as to who can receive this coupon, as long as you are a longtime Hangzhou resident. But in order to receive the stipend, you must have certification in your field of training."

How does this coupon program exactly work? To obtain the stipend, you must enroll in an approved training program and successfully complete it. Then,the 500 yuan coupon is yours to use towards paying the tuition.

The Ministry of Labor Security in Hangzhou has already approved 72 technical training sites all over the city. And there are over 600 locations where you can sign up.

Cao Ping, of Gongshu district in Hangzhou, was one of the first to register. She recently lost her job, but she just got her 500 yuan educational training coupon and is ready to embark on a career as a pastry chef.

"I took a look at this training program. The tuition is 1000 yuan. I just got my 500 yuan coupon, I just need to pay 500 myself. Then I can learn a skill and find a job that suits me."

Elsewhere in Hangzhou, Yang Wenlong said he flipped through the manual that lists all the available fields of training. There are 86 fields in which people can undergo training. They range from electrical repair to digital marketing, from advertising to Chinese cuisine.

Yang's eyes alighted on the field of computer repair.

"One more expertise — it can only do me good. It will definitely make finding a job easier."

Receiving the adequate training is just the first step. Ultimately, of course, the goal is to land a good job.

A staff member at the Zhejiang Zhongce Professional Skill Development center said that not only do they provide training in technical skills, they also help their students find employment afterwards.

"Our school currently has an agreement with Huashang Supermarket. We are responsible for the training, and they use those of our students who finish training in a satisfactory manner."

Hangzhou was the first Chinese city to institute this stimulus program. Other places that have followed suit include the city of Chengdu and the province of Jiangxi,which has passed out 840,000 coupons with a total worth of 250 million yuan.