CRI听力:Military-Style Training Welcomed in Chinese Company

It is just past 7 in the morning.

15-year-old Zhou Jie with his fellow students has assembled on their school's track for routine morning exercise and drills, including standing to attention, singing and some dancing.

Zhou is training at the Wenfeng Beauty and Hairdressing School to become a hairdresser for a period of six months.

He says the military style of education here is a big "help" for his career.

"I have adapted well. When I was at home, without strict rules, I used to get up very late everyday. But after I came here, there is a really strict atmosphere, which will be a huge help for me in the future."

In the day, Zhou trains to cut fake hair on mannequin heads where he is required to dress in a navy-style uniform.

His daily ritual also includes partaking in a warm-up dance with the school president Chen Hao before listening to one of his lectures.

They gather in a hall facing a large portrait of the school president and then chant.

From the school's uniforms to the slogans students must chant, the school draws much of its style from the military.

School president Chen Hao, although he himself had never trained in the army, says Wenfeng's military-style culture helps improve students' education and the quality of the company's services.

"Student must be like soldiers. They must have the ability to carry out orders. Their acts must be unified and standardised. So from our appearance and our postures, including our apparel and uniforms, they must be unified."

Chen's large portraits can be seen across the school grounds. He is also often seen instructing students during regular courses.

Regardless of the effectiveness of the training, Wenfeng's business does seem a success.

Its website says the Wenfeng Cosmetology Group, the parent firm of the school, currently has over 10 thousand employees in more than 300 chain salons in major cities across China.

The Wenfeng Beauty and Hairdressing School charges students up to 38 thousand yuan or 5,800 U.S. dollars depending on their major and duration of study, which can range from one month at the shortest to two years.

According to school officials, around 3,000 students graduate every year, mostly Wenfeng's employees.

Wenfeng is not the first or the only company that adopts the military-style training in China.

Restaurants and even real estate companies are also known to require employees to attend marching exercises and even partake in military-style salutes.

For CRI, this is Fei Fei.