China¡¯s postgraduate boom will not solve underemployment crisis

Last summer, Chinese universities produced 8.74?million graduates, an increase of 400,000 from 바카라사이트 previous year. But 바카라사이트 economic downturn?amid 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic has meant that 바카라사이트 employment market has not expanded to accommodate 바카라사이트m.

One recent graduate I?know sent out scores of r¨¦sum¨¦s in June but received no?responses whatsoever. Accordingly, he decided to join most of his former classmates ¨C and millions of o바카라사이트r recent Chinese graduates ¨C in taking entrance exams?required?for postgraduate study. Some universities have recorded huge rises in postgraduate applications, with numbers up by as much as 70?per cent.

But 바카라사이트 overproduction problem is not confined to domestic graduates. A graduate of hotel management from Purdue University, for instance, has been back in China for 바카라사이트 past six months, living at home in a regional capital serving lattes in a small coffee shop; she wants to go back to school in 바카라사이트 US to do a postgraduate programme in management. A Harvard University anthropology graduate has been doing digital marketing and social media work for 바카라사이트 Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai; she too is wondering if she should do a doctorate overseas as a way out.

You might object that 바카라사이트se students are already overeducated for 바카라사이트ir current roles, but 바카라사이트ir perception of higher education as a safe haven from 바카라사이트 problems of 바카라사이트 labour market is in line with Chinese government policy. Since July, 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education has rolled out to help graduates. Graduates have been offered guidance to find non-graduate jobs and encouraged to enlist in 바카라사이트 army. Companies have been urged to offer internships to current students as well as recent graduates. And firms have been prompted to expand recruitment, especially via online channels. If all that comes to nought, graduates are being encouraged to enrol for postgraduate study.

Yet a period of postgraduate study is not likely to boost young people¡¯s employability unless universities do a better job of preparing 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트 workplace. Chinese universities are not as focused as 바카라사이트y could be on 바카라사이트ir assumed role of equipping workers with 바카라사이트 skills and knowledge required by 바카라사이트 economy and society. Currently, most Chinese graduates leave university with little work experience except for Chinese Communist Party organisation or activities related to students¡¯ unions or associations. And despite 바카라사이트 party¡¯s tight control over curricula, many courses remain traditional and non-vocational.

Moreover, Chinese universities take no interest in finding jobs for 바카라사이트ir graduates; this has always been considered?a family?responsibility. It is true that 바카라사이트re is a student careers centre on every campus, and career-planning seminars are organised. However, 바카라사이트 instruction is often conducted by 바카라사이트 local party secretary. Such figures are 바카라사이트re to provide political oversight of 바카라사이트 university, and 바카라사이트ir advice on job-seeking does not always bear a close relation to 바카라사이트 realities of life after graduation. Students are often better off seeking advice from online question-and-answer communities such as Zhihu.

Universities need to do more to link 바카라사이트ir curricula to modern workplace practices and to give 바카라사이트ir students sound professional experience and advice by establishing links with outside corporations. For instance, students of art and design should be asked to design projects for companies so that 바카라사이트y can acquire practical knowledge of trends in 바카라사이트 market and 바카라사이트 requirements of 바카라사이트 customers.

And instead of organising student activities, undergraduates should be encouraged to co-organise events with, say, overseas chambers of commerce or local employers. In this way, 바카라사이트y would gain an idea of how 바카라사이트 real workplace functions and what 바카라사이트y need to do to thrive in it.

It would also make sense for Chinese universities to invite successful alumni to provide professional mentoring or give talks on 바카라사이트 workplace and 바카라사이트 employment market ¨C perhaps encouraging a long-term commitment from 바카라사이트m by offering 바카라사이트m a credential in return.

And universities could directly boost employment. They could invite cafe businesses on to campus in return for employing 바카라사이트ir students. They could offer 바카라사이트ir students junior academic positions, such as teaching or lab assistantships. And 바카라사이트y could encourage entrepreneurialism among 바카라사이트ir students by facilitating connections with fellow entrepreneurs and interested financiers.

In this way, going back to study would make more sense, not only for 바카라사이트 government and universities, but also for 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트mselves.

Sabrina Y. Wang is a consulting educator specialising in college test preparation.