Nation faces grim job situation
By Li Fangchao (China Daily)Updated: 2007-03-14 08:39
Moreover, about 5 million college graduates, the largest number in
history, will enter the job market this year, in addition to surplus rural
laborers swarming into cities for work, Tian said.
Figures from
education departments showed that around 30 percent graduates could not find
jobs upon graduation, he said.
Tian estimated that there will be 24
million job seekers this year, but only half will find a job.
Despite
this, the country hopes to keep the registered urban unemployment rate below 4.6
percent, Premier Wen Jiabao said in his government work report on March
5.
To alleviate the strain, the government will strengthen training and
improve public services for job seekers.
Tian brushed aside concerns that
some booming coastal regions such as Guangdong and Fujian provinces are facing a labor shortage.
"It
mainly reflects a structural problem. As these prosperous regions upgrade their
industrial structure, they need more skilled workers," he said. However, migrant
workers from rural areas usually don't meet the requirements.
"The market
mechanism will come into play; it can be a better job opportunity for workers,
and could help them get raises in salary and other perks," he
added.
Zheng
Chenggong, professor at Renmin University of China, said the central government
should formulate policies such as guiding graduates to seek jobs in less
developed central and western parts of the country.
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