Chinese Students Seek New Skills for a New Economy

Jul 15, 2016 Blog 0

The dynamic nature of the global economy is perhaps no more clearly exemplified than by China evolving job market, according to a recent report from Bloomberg. How can today’s students and recent graduates position themselves for optimal success in the face of rapid changes? Let’s take a closer look.

Beyond the Bachelor’s Degree
Between fewer employment prospects and the record numbers of students graduating from China’s colleges, many new grads are discovering that once-coveted bachelor’s degrees fall short of the qualifications they need to distinguish themselves from the pack. Consider the findings of Beijing-based higher education research firm MyCOS, which revealed that just 77.4 percent of 2015 university grads secured full-time jobs after completing their degrees, compared to 80.6 just two years prior in 2013.

In the meantime, the number of high school students sitting for the national entrance examination dropped by 20,000 from 2015 to 2016, further demonstrating the complexities of China’s demographic landscape.

Exploring New Paths
In response to the shift, China’s students are finding new ways to position themselves for career success. For starters, more grads are pursuing advanced studies, simultaneously delaying their entry into the job market while boosting their eventual prospects.

But some careers — like logistics management, which boasts an attractive 96.6 percent employment rate — are more immediately accessible than others leading more students to focus their studies in these areas. Other thriving sectors include education, information and medicine, as well as software engineering and automation as a result of the technologizing of the country’s factories.

Another popular pathway for students in China’s increasingly service-oriented culture? Embracing entrepreneurship and startup opportunities in a climate ripe with growth opportunities.

The terrain may be tricky, but the takeaway is clear for the 7.7 million Chinese grads poised to enter the workforce in the near future. While today’s job market may be very different than yesterday’s, success still relies on one overarching factor: acquiring the right skills at the right time.

Source : Masterstudies

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