Students consult an employer at a job fair for graduates in Hefei, East China's Anhui province, on May 6, 2022. (Photo by ZHAI SHUWEN/FOR CHINA DAILY)

Employment opportunities struggle to keep pace with number of graduates

Faced with employment pressures brought by a record number of college graduates and the epidemic situation, governments and schools are mulling over a series of moves to help students find jobs.

A college graduate recruitment week was launched on Monday to expand employment opportunities and help graduates overcome employment challenges caused by the epidemic. The event began both online and in-person in Beijing and Chongqing, and the provinces of Henan, Jilin, Shandong and Yunnan, according to the Ministry of Education.

Some 15,000 online and in-person job fairs are expected across the country during the week. The in-person events are expected to provide more than 600,000 positions, while the online employment service will offer more than 800,000 job vacancies, according to the ministry.

China will have a record 10.76 million college graduates this year, 1.67 million more than last year, official data show.

The ministry said it will host a series of events throughout August to help new college graduates look for satisfactory jobs and keep the employment situation stable.

It will work with universities and 12 recruitment agencies to host the events. Regional and industrywide online and in-person job fairs will be held, according to a ministry release on Monday.

University administrators are encouraged to visit companies to broaden employment opportunities for graduates. A notice issued by the ministry in March has asked university and college heads to approach at least 100 companies by August to expand employment opportunities.

The ministry will encourage graduates to work at small and medium-sized enterprises and at the grassroots level, and will provide specific employment services for students from low-income families and those with disabilities to make sure there are at least three jobs available to choose from.

China is facing mounting pressure on employment due to the large number of job seekers and a slowing economy. In instructions to a national video and telephone conference on stabilizing employment on Saturday, Premier Li Keqiang urged efforts to help as many market entities as possible to stabilize their posts and expand job opportunities, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Efforts should be made to ensure the completion of the annual employment goals and tasks, and the country will intensify efforts to implement the employment-first policy, and keep employment and the economy stable, Li said.

Challenging tasks

Huang Baoyin, Party secretary of the University of International Business and Economics, said completing the employment tasks remains challenging given the epidemic situation and complicated international environment.

University and school administrators and faculty members are encouraged to make full use of resources from all sectors to expand employment opportunities, and the student employment situation will be used to evaluate schools, he said.

Talent cultivation should be based on social demands. Universities need to have a deep understanding of companies' requirements for the abilities and qualities of graduates, and make changes accordingly, he added.

Liang Ying, deputy director of Beijing Jiaotong University's entrepreneurship and employment guidance center, said the university has offered various employment services to help students find jobs, such as conducting mock interviews, revising students' resumes, and inviting former students to give new graduates tips in landing dream jobs.

It has also provided one-on-one sessions and counseling services for students having difficulties in job hunting, and asked student counselors to pay close attention to all students' individual employment demands and situations, she said.

Li Chenyang, a senior student majoring in communication engineering at Beijing Jiaotong University, said he has found a job at a private chipmaker in Beijing.

"I want to do something related to my undergraduate studies and I think working for a few years can help me master more professional knowledge than pursuing postgraduate studies," the 22-year-old said.

Meng Yushu, 22, a visual communication design major at the university, said she has not found a satisfactory job yet and she is considering becoming a part-time or full-time vlogger on social media depending on whether she can land a good job before graduation.

The social media account can be something related to her major, or she can simply post makeup or fashion tutorials, which are very popular, she said.

Young people are more open-minded about their future jobs, and they are not afraid to take risks and try their luck at different sectors, she added.