Domestic services major to help graduates sparkle

Taking a major in domestic services wasn't Liu Di's first choice for study at university, but it might help the 22-year-old have a better chance of securing a job after she graduates.

The Anyang native from Central China's Henan province is in her junior year at Zhengzhou Normal University, and has an internship in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province in South China.

"My family thought that as a housekeeper I'd be doing a rough job and be looked down upon. But I have more confidence in my future career after learning about the major and its market in recent years," Liu said. "I think I still need to learn much more, and we are training in flower arranging, tea art and wine tasting. I get theoretical lessons at college and practical skills from my internship."

Zhengzhou Normal University is among 20 universities that have established domestic services majors in line with a 2019 government directive to create better standards and regulations in the domestic services industry, and to ensure that it is professional and develops in a more stable way.

"Our first graduates in this major will finish their undergraduate education next year. Over 90 of them will be put to the test in the employment market," said Wang Gongchang, dean of the School of Social Services and Development of Zhengzhou Normal University.

"The undergraduate students are trained to undertake more high-end domestic services, for example, offering psychological counseling, health advice and organizing entertainment activities for the elderly.

"The internships help lay a good foundation for their future employment, which is a 'two-way choice' between companies and students for their future career plans."

Wang said monthly salaries for interns range from 4,000 yuan ($556) to 5,000 yuan per month depending on their work performance. The monthly salary can reach about 8,000 to 10,000 yuan for a future fixed job.

The domestic services industry has grown to be an important employer in the labor market in recent years. According to iResearch, a third-party consultancy, the value of China's domestic services industry rose to about 1.09 trillion yuan last year from 277.6 billion yuan in 2015. The market value will continue to grow to over 1.16 trillion yuan this year and attract over 40 million workers to the industry, the consultancy said.

In July this year, 16 central departments including the Ministry of Commerce, National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, released a policy to encourage college graduates to start their own domestic services companies by granting them one-time entrepreneurship and social security allowances. Domestic services companies are also encouraged to recruit college graduates to increase their employment rate, under the policy.

They are also urged to offer internships to young people and give them financial subsidies.

"We have had six senior students from Zhengzhou Normal University in internships at our company since early July. I'm very satisfied with their performance, both in their work and mindset," said Lu Man'en, deputy general manager of Royal Butler Domestic Services Co in Guangzhou.

She said that the company has arranged training courses in flower arranging, tea art and etiquette for the students.