Rural to urban training programs offered to aspiring urbanites in Ordos

The new city of Ordos, in Inner Mongolia, was constructed in 2005 thanks to the large benefits generated by the province’s rapid industrialization, based on abundant natural resources (wool, rare earth, oil, and gas). Wary of becoming one of China’s “ghost cities”, Ordos and its new center Kangbashi are hoping to instead be transformed into a lively and attractive urban cluster.

To support its national urbanization plan for central provinces, The Guardian reports that the government encourages local farmers to migrate to Ordos, in exchange for financial compensation. In order to guide them through this life change, new inhabitants are being offered training and counseling programs to learn how to become “urban”.