This Chinese ‘school’ trains robots for the workforce
As humanoid robots edge closer to daily life, a Beijing facility is shaping their skills through scenario-based training that mirrors real jobs
The classroom looks somewhat familiar, perhaps a bit messy, at first glance. There are boxes to pack, kitchens to tidy up, beds to make. Then a robot expands its hands for the tools.
In Beijing, humanoid robots now attend a 'school' before they are sent to work.
In the city's Shijingshan district, the Phase II Beijing Humanoid Robot Data Training Center has begun operating as the largest training facility of its kind in China. It prepares robots for real jobs through repeated practice in lifelike settings.
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The centre covers two floors and recreates full-scale production lines and living spaces. One area mimics a factory. Another looks like a modern flat. Each training unit is modular and often rearranged to match new tasks.
The main student, that is, the primary model under training is Kuafu, a 1.66 metre tall humanoid robot.
Training takes place in small groups. Each robot works with two human trainers. Zhu Kai, who leads the centre, compares the process to teaching a child to walk. Repetition builds capability.
The work also serves a wider goal: the robotics industry lacks reliable, structured data. Every training session generates detailed data, which are cleaned and labelled before being shared with companies developing large models.
In one class, trainers Shi Xuanyu and Han Weiqi teach a robot how to package a remote control. One guides the robot using virtual reality equipment. The other monitors the data. They switch roles to maintain accuracy.
In the 'school', robots choose a field of study, from manufacturing to elderly care. Mastering a single task can take more than a thousand repetitions. The results are tangible; graduates now work in factories, logistics firms, power companies and public events.
