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Experts urge occupational training law for job seekers

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-29 07:27

For many college students, landing a summer internship is almost as difficult as finding a permanent job because few employers are interested in training people who have no experience.

"Many companies don't like hiring interns because they believe the interns can barely work and can sometimes create trouble," said Chen Bulei, a researcher of labor issues at Renmin University of China.

"The employers are also worried that the interns will leak their business secrets."

But with all college students in China required to gain work experience during summer vacations, the pressure is on.

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Knowing how difficult it can be to find internships, many students have been looking for places since the start of their freshman year.

And many who do land coveted internships end up disappointed after employers block them from accessing real business operations and, as such, offer the interns few chances to learn from their experience, the Legal Daily reported yesterday.

"The employers would like to hire college graduates with work experience, but they are not willing to provide any internship opportunities," said labor law expert Jiang Ying.

"It is a vicious circle and, eventually, it will harm employers."

A law compelling employers to provide occupational training to college students and protecting the rights of students during their internships would solve many of the problems, Jiang said.

The government should also offer incentives to employers who do provide internships, she added.

China Daily