Campaign targets more graduate jobs

The Ministry of Education has launched a special campaign to boost employment for new college graduates during the spring recruitment season, according to a notice issued by the ministry on Tuesday.

A record 11.58 million college students are expected to graduate this year, about 820,000 more than last year, according to the ministry.

The ministry has asked administrators of universities and colleges to continue to visit companies to expand employment opportunities for new graduates.

Administrators of departments, teachers and student counselors are also encouraged to visit companies to assist in the effort, the notice said.

For universities that had a below-average employment rate last year, administrators should visit more than 100 companies, and deans of departments that saw below-average employment should visit more than 10.

Universities are being encouraged to invite more companies to job fairs on their campuses, to hold livestreaming activities promoting jobs and to share opportunities for work with other universities. They should also guide college graduates to think objectively about their individual capabilities and societal demands, choose realistic careers and take action as soon as possible, the notice said.

Special assistance should be given to students from once-impoverished families, as well as those with financial difficulties and disabilities, and school administrators, teachers and counselors should offer them one-on-one guidance.

Local authorities are required to establish a special task force on employment for new college graduates, and coordinate resources from different government departments so more public employment resources are geared toward college graduates, it added.

According to a survey by education consultancy MyCOS, the average monthly salary for college graduates in 2021 was 5,833 yuan ($841), a 10-year high.

Only 6.1 percent of the surveyed students had a monthly salary of more than 10,000 yuan, an unofficial benchmark for a "decent job".

A separate survey conducted by 51job, an online recruitment platform, showed that almost half of the respondents said they prefer jobs with lower pay and fewer tasks, and only 23 percent said they would choose more demanding jobs with higher pay.

Liu Yiyang, a senior undergraduate student at North China University of Technology, said the university has been very helpful in offering students guidance in finding jobs and inviting companies to the university for job fairs.

He has secured three job offers with monthly salaries ranging from 8,000 to 14,000 yuan and is looking for more opportunities, he said.

However, the employment situation is not good, with many students from well-known universities vying for internships, which do not promise to turn into full-time jobs, he said.

He said he wants to work in Beijing as the city has more opportunities than most other cities.