China unveils guidelines to boost employment for college graduates

China has released new guidelines on building a high-quality system of employment services for university graduates.

The policy document, issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, outlines a comprehensive strategy to promote sufficient high-quality employment among college graduates.

It highlights six key areas of focus: optimizing the higher education training system, strengthening career guidance services, improving job-market and recruitment systems, enhancing support mechanisms for job seekers in difficulty, innovating employment monitoring and evaluation tools, and reinforcing supports and safeguards for graduate employment.

The document sets the goal of establishing a nationwide employment services network that is inclusive, well-functioning, and reliable within three to five years, laying a solid foundation for graduates to find jobs.

China's higher education graduate population has grown steadily, exceeding 10 million annually for three consecutive years since 2022, with the number projected to continue rising over the next decade, said a senior official from the Ministry of Education.

Stressing the urgent need to bridge the gap between higher education programs and societal needs, the official said that the guidelines propose creating a centralized talent demand database and conducting forward-looking analysis of talent supply and demand.

The government will also optimize disciplinary configurations and enhance coordination linking enrollment plans, talent cultivation, and employment outcomes, the official said.

In order to promote employment, the guideline demands supporting student entrepreneurship to encourage job creation through startups and facilitating the hiring of urgently needed talent in key sectors through supply-demand alignment programs, according to the official.

The guideline also recommends reserving time during academic schedules for students to pursue pre-graduation job opportunities, added the official.

Official data shows that the number of college graduates in China is likely to reach 12.22 million in 2025, an increase of 430,000 from last year.