China’s unemployment crisis shows no signs of easing as graduates face reality check due to coronavirus
- China is set to release its June unemployment figure on Thursday, along with the headline gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate
- China’s policymakers have already prioritised employment for this year, vowing to create 9 million new urban jobs
One of a record high 8.7 million graduates who entered China’s job market this summer, the next stage of Rita Zhang’s life has started badly.
The 23-year-old, who studied cultural industry management at a university in Beijing, was looking forward to joining an advertising start-up until the outbreak of coronavirus led to nationwide lockdown in late January.
The job offer was withdrawn with her prospective employer battling high office rent and diminishing revenues, stranding Zhang in southwestern province of Yunnan, unable to seek alternative opportunities.
After failing to enrol on a local teacher programme, Zhang eventually accepted a role as a new media assistant at a local training company, with a monthly salary of just 2,000 yuan (US$286), although this lasted for just two months.
All my career plans have been disrupted
“All my career plans have been disrupted,” she said. “I’m now preparing for the postgraduate exam next year. I hope that everything will return to normal when I’m back [in Beijing].”