China's vast pool of 11.6 million graduates is confronted with a job market characterized by a scarcity of employment prospects

• In China, there exists a pronounced imbalance between the qualifications of job seekers and the job market, leading to a challenging situation for the economy.

youth unemployment reaches unprecedented levels, the issue of over educated young individuals becomes increasingly critical.

Having obtained a master's degree in applied linguistics from one of Australia's esteemed universities, Ingrid Xie faced an unexpected job placement in a grocery store after completing her studies at the University of Queensland in July the previous year.

Xie's educational journey began in China, where she pursued her undergraduate studies in English at Hainan Tropical Ocean University, basking in the shade of palm trees. Motivated by the desire for better career opportunities, she ventured abroad for her master's degree.

After gaining work experience at a Korean supermarket in Brisbane for several months following her graduation, Ingrid made the choice to return to her hometown of Kunming, located in the scenic province of Yunnan in southwest China, with the intention of securing a job as an English Teacher.

Xie quickly realized that her aspirations were shared by many others who had also pursued studies abroad. She came to the realization that in her home city, a friend of hers underwent an English teacher recruitment test along with approximately 100 other individuals. Unfortunately, her friend was not selected for the job.

In April, China experienced a historical peak in youth unemployment, with a staggering 20.4% of young jobseekers between the ages of 16 and 24 struggling to secure employment. At 26 years old, Xie finds herself in a similar predicament, unable to find a job in China despite completing her higher education. She expresses her deep frustration, saying, 'It fills me with immense frustration.

With graduation season looming in June, a substantial cohort of approximately 11.6 million students faces an uphill battle as they prepare to enter a labor market that is growing increasingly unwelcoming.

The issue of highly educated young individuals facing unemployment has reached such a critical point that many are drawing parallels to Kong Yiji, a fictitious character from a renowned story by Lu Xun, a celebrated figure in Chinese literature. Kong, once a scholar, finds himself reduced to a beggar and becomes the subject of ridicule at a local tavern due to his affected demeanor.

Youth look for work at a jobs fair in Haikou, Hainan province. Photograph: Shutterstock.

The emergence of these memes has faced criticism from state media, which denounces them as self-centered and indulgent. In a commentary published in state media in March, it was asserted that young individuals were displaying a reluctance to accept jobs that fell below their expectations.

The Chinese economy grapples with a notable discrepancy between job opportunities and the qualifications possessed by jobseekers. According to Goldman Sachs, the period between 2018 and 2021 witnessed a surge of over 20% in the number of graduates specializing in sports and education.

However, in 2021, the government implemented a sudden ban on for-profit tutoring, dealing a severe blow to an industry that was once valued at $150 billion. While this move alleviated the homework pressure on schoolchildren, it had a devastating impact on employment opportunities for young graduates like Xie, who had relied on tutoring as a means to gain teaching experience.

Moreover, the country is grappling with the challenge of job vacancies being concentrated in specific regions. Xie has come across job listings that mandate teachers to serve in rural schools for a year. However, she expresses her reluctance, stating, 'I am not inclined to teach in a rural area since it can be arduous to survive in such an environment, particularly for women.

Eric Fish, an acclaimed author shedding light on Chinese millennials, notes that the value of an international degree has declined in China's job markets. He highlights the view held by some recruiters, stating, 'There is a perception that students may harbor unrealistic expectations or have adopted excessively Westernized attitudes.

Mindful of the gravity of the situation, the government has taken action. In April, it released a comprehensive plan encompassing a range of measures to stimulate the job market. Among these measures are subsidies offered to companies that hire university graduates currently facing unemployment. Additionally, the government has set substantial targets for state-owned enterprises, aiming to recruit 1 million trainees in 2023. In pursuit of its larger goal, the government aims to create 12 million urban jobs this year, exceeding the 11 million generated in 2022.

In a significant move, the government made a decisive decision this year to discontinue the utilization of the employment and registration certificate—a document that had long been employed to authorize the transition of graduates from universities to employers.

In an effort to simplify the job search process for college graduates, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced the cancellation of the certificate, acknowledging its status as a bureaucratic relic, as stated in a notice on 12th May.

China is not the only country contending with the complexities of economic re-balancing in the wake of the Covid pandemic. Researchers at Goldman Sachs have highlighted that in 2021, several European nations witnessed youth unemployment rates surpassing 20%, while the United States faced a rate of approximately 10%.

The scarcity of job opportunities also brings about the pressure to accept any job, regardless of personal interest, according to Xie. She reflects, 'At 25, you're still unsure about what you truly want to pursue.' Currently, she has come to terms with spending an extended period living with her parents and taking care of her cat, Shrimp. 'What I truly desire is sufficient personal time and a job that offers work-life balance, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to find that.'

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