Measures to help graduates land jobs

China's Ministry of Education has rolled out a series of measures to stabilize and expand employment for college graduates, with a focus on creating opportunities in private enterprises and grassroots positions.

In a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Finance, education authorities have extended one-time employment subsidies — previously limited to businesses — to include social organizations.

A combination of tax incentives, employment subsidies, job expansion grants and guaranteed loans are being deployed to encourage private and smaller businesses to hire recent graduates.

Authorities are also working to create jobs in emerging industries and frontline sectors. An initiative to expand vacancies in State-owned enterprises is being implemented to address employment needs in key development areas.

To boost employment at the grassroots level, China has expanded programs to help more college graduates from the class of 2025 secure positions in rural and western regions.

Local governments are tailoring employment policies to their economic and industrial strengths. In Shanxi province, 26,000 new employment opportunities have been created, while the Inner Mongolia autonomous region has launched a community volunteer service program to recruit 5,000 individuals.

Henan province is hiring 5,000 village-level coordinators to contribute to rural vitalization efforts, while Sichuan province has opened 40,000 jobs in sectors such as justice, social work and agriculture. Jiangxi province is providing monthly job subsidies to 5,000 graduates employed by small and medium-sized enterprises, the ministry said.

Education and labor departments are coordinating efforts to connect graduates with job opportunities, helping nearly 100,000 students from about 300 universities secure positions.

Special attention is being given to graduates from low-income households and those with disabilities. The education ministry has partnered with the Communist Youth League of China Central Committee to run a one-on-one mentorship program that pairs university staff with vulnerable graduates. As of June 27, nearly 10,000 graduates had received personalized support.

With financial backing from the Ministry of Finance, the education ministry is also expanding a program that provides training and job placement services. So far, 100,000 students from the class of 2025 have completed training, and 1,124 job fairs have been held under the program, offering more than 1.1 million positions.

Several provinces are increasing funding and resources for the training program. Shanxi, for example, is building five provincial-level training centers and adding 6,400 training slots for vulnerable graduates.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has launched a campaign to help graduates from formerly impoverished households find jobs. In Hainan province, universities have created 475 public service positions for graduates involved in the campaign, each subsidized at 2,010 yuan ($280) per month.

As graduation season peaks, local authorities are urged to maintain close contact with graduates still seeking employment and to ensure a smooth handover of their information to labor departments for continued support. Vocational training opportunities are also being expanded for those looking to enhance their skills and improve job readiness.