China making youth unemployment a ‘top priority’

” LOWER EXPECTATIONS”

There is now a force to replace roles that “dovetail with important policy priorities” or where skills shortages exist, said Tay, like business improving and technological development.

With employment opportunities drying up for those holding anthropology, media and law degrees, she said, some kind of “government- sponsored earn- as- you- know training programmes” may be needed to fill more in- demand roles.

Final-year students at a major Shanghai university, close to the law school, claimed that the job market was really difficult.

” Post- epidemic, it is a much more difficult than before”, 22- year- ancient Qian Le said, referencing new layoffs and pay cuts at best Chinese law firms.

It might be more difficult for new hires to get into because even those who are currently employed may not be able to retain them.

Wang Hui and Qian’s colleague Wang Hui both chose to study more.

” The financial situation is really sluggish, some businesses have gone penniless, and some jobs have been reduced”, Wang told AFP.

Due to previous government reprisals against businesses like software giant and private tutoring companies, China’s once-freewheeling private sector has slowed significantly.

Many young people choose to pursue post-graduate degrees, as opposed to taking the civil service exams, which are seen as a more robust option.

In March, institutions urged their kids to constantly look for jobs otherwise, said Tay.

However, Wang said,” competition is great, and the number of students is steadily increasing every year.”

Karl Hu, another rules student, said the trouble was not in finding a job.

The trouble was finding” a suitable job” in terms of salary level and gains, he explained.

He himself had secured a great career at a bank, he said- but many would have to “lower their anticipation”.