Expats seek jobs, like panda feeder, for TV show

Some 500 expats from around the world, including those working and studying in China, have applied to participate in a reality TV show to experience for one day unique jobs with Chinese characteristics.

The jobs include being a caretaker of pandas in the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province; a kung fu apprentice at the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Henan province; a high-speed train maintenance worker in Wuhan, Hubei province; a truck driver on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway; and a chef of hand-pulled noodles in Lanzhou, Gansu province.

Recruitment information was released on professional networking website LinkedIn on June 20 and so far the "experiencing China campaign" page has been browsed roughly 600,000 times.

The job to take care of the pandas is the spot that drew the most interest.

The recruitment drive will go on for five months and each month one applicant will be selected for each of the eight jobs, according to the team of I'm in China, a State-supported media project.

The project was designed to tell stories and development of China and its richness of culture, people, history and heritage to the world from expats' perspectives.

Applicants with relevant work experience or who have professional backgrounds in the fields and basic communication skills in Mandarin are preferred, the team said.

"We believe the global reach of our networking website will help the TV show organizer find the best candidates, who will work as ambassadors to share their real experiences and the Chinese culture to the world through their own perspectives," said Huang Lei, marketing and public relations director at LinkedIn China.

The team of I'm in China could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

Asha Forsyth of Australia has signed up to work as a "spiderman" to gather trash on the cliffs at the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province. The cleaners are tied to a rope to keep them safe while walking freely.

"I grew up in a national park in Sydney and I understand how environmental conservation matters to every country," said Forsyth, 25, who has worked in China for a year with the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Guangzhou.

"An amateur rock climber for years, I'm also interested in the 'spiderman' experience in the bewitching scenery. More importantly, I hope to obtain a unique insight into the country through the program," said Forsyth, who studied Mandarin at Fudan University in Shanghai during a one-year exchange program and had internship experience in Beijing.