BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A one-year program to give officials of ethnic minority groups and from underdeveloped western regions exposure to the work practices of central departments began Monday.

The 225 officials will attend a three-day training course covering topics including the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), high-quality economic development, targeted poverty reduction, full and strict governance over the Party, and economic and social development concerning ethnic regions.

Following the course, they will be dispatched across 82 central Party and government departments, and major state-owned enterprises.

The course is run by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, and the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.

Since it began in 1990, the program has seen more than 9,600 officials of ethnic minorities and from western regions assume temporary posts in departments and enterprises in other regions.

Apart from the 225 officials being sent to central units, another 297 officials will be dispatched to local organs under the program.