Authorities in Dujiangyan, one of the worst-hit cities in the Sichuan earthquake, have started holding job fairs this week at refugee centres to help the homeless get back on their feet.
About 20 businesses from Dujiangyan, Chengdu and neighbouring provinces took part in a fair organised by the Municipal Employment Service Bureau this week, the Chengdu Commercial Daily reported yesterday. The job fairs would be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to match hundreds of low-skilled workers with specially created positions, it said.
Bureau director Guo Yigang said 2,308 refugees had registered for jobs so far, with sales, labouring and driving positions their main requests. More than 80 per cent of applicants said they could only return to work after their families were properly settled, the paper quoted Mr Guo as saying.
Mr Guo said that next month would be the peak recruitment season in the city, and the bureau had many jobs on its books. But he said the quake had destroyed local businesses and jobs in tourism, and refugees would soon be competing for work with skilled jobless.
Xu Xingyue, director of an employment centre, was quoted as saying that more refugees would be recruited to help with relief efforts.
Similar job fairs have been held in other disaster-affected areas.