Undergraduate and master's graduates attend the degree awarding ceremony at Renmin University in Beijing, China. Photo by WU HAO / EPA
June 14 (Asia Today) -- June and July mark college graduation season in China. This year, a record 12.7 million students are expected to graduate, 480,000 more than last year, and take their first steps into society.
Except for a fortunate few, however, many have little reason to celebrate. The phrase "graduation means unemployment," which has circulated in China for several years, remains relevant this year. Graduation season has instead become a season of frustration for young people facing a difficult search for work.
The severity of the situation is reflected in employment estimates. Recent reports by Chinese media, including the state-run Economic Daily, estimate that fewer than half of this year's college graduates have secured jobs.
Even among those who have found employment, few are sharing news that they have landed desirable positions.
