China's Youth Unemployment At Record Highs: Meet The Jobless Graduates | Insight | Full Episode

A record breaking 11.6 million graduates have just left school in China this year. But they now face the toughest jobs market in recent memory. In the most recent figures, about one in five youths are officially unemployed. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has stopped publishing youth unemployment statistics.

From a slowing economy, to a mismatch in skills versus available jobs, to unrealistic expectations of workers and employers, Insight explores the reasons for the high unemployment rate, through the eyes of those who are young and jobless in China.

00:00 Introduction
03:32 China's young graduates struggle to find jobs
08:41 Cutthroat competition for few available jobs
14:16 Few entry-level jobs for millions of graduates
19:36 Mismatched salary expectations
23:36 "Full-time" sons and daughters
30:33 Rising discontentment and looming protests?
36:42 New jobs for youths in the countryside?
42:06 Unusual ways to earn and save money

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[WeiDu]

Hi all, this is Wei, the director of the documentary. Thank you all for taking the time to watch the program. We spent 2 months tracking the job hunts of the young people you saw. I’m grateful for their participation, and moved by how they all had smiles on their faces and light in their eyes despite the curveball life has thrown at them.

Our first profile Xiami now has his own channel, in which he talks with Chinese youths from all walks of life. If you speak Chinese, you can find him as 严肃的虾米.

[Bansheee-po]

I love how he said that they're not releasing youth unemployment stats because the country is developing rapidly and the stats will get better. It's like me opting out of my performance review at work because I am, in my own assessment, getting more productive by the day, so I'll take the review next year.

[davidaaa]

When I graduation from college, I couldn't find a job for 2 years. I know how frustrating and depressing the journey can be. That was 30+ years ago. I am doing great now. Hang in there, never give up.

[JudgeyJudgeyable]

I think the lack of opportunities is tied to how corporations are simultaneously abusing their current employees, overworking them, and then being unwilling to invest in the next generation of their work force.

[tigerking]

Thank you to those brave students who agreed to be interviewed and shine a light on the harrowing experience of many in my generation. To those who are older, more experienced and have made it in life. It means the world to us you understand our struggles and challenges, even if you're not in the position to help us.

[alcoholfree]

It is sad what is happening to these bright, young, industrious people. They seem malleable and resilient. I have empathy for them. I’m retired and disabled; I’ve found that few people want to hire 70 year old men that can’t walk much. I will pray that these young wonders find a way to fly in their lives!

[TheDysartes]

There is a growing problem around the world in regard to the younger generation. They were told that getting a degree would enhance the future prospects, and that was true for the Boomer, Gen X and to some level Millennial generations. We as kept telling them the best way to improve their future was through a degree, so what happened and is still happening is that more and more youngsters are attending Universities, so now it's no longer an elite qualification. What's happened is that because so many people now have degrees they've effectively become worthless, they've become undervalued. So the next step was to get a Master's Degree, which has meant more and more are getting a Post Graduate qualification, and so lessening the value of a Master Degree.

There are just too many youngsters out there looking for graduate level first jobs, and not enough jobs to go around. So you find individuals working in job roles that don't require a degree level qualification. So what we have in China and many other countries are an abundance of the younger generation who are over qualified with degrees that effectively worthless.

[yyyy-kyhv]

Another reason is that Labor-intensive industry in China is quite exploitative, majority of youngers are not willing to seek a job in factory or catering industry.

Meanwhile, the employers who offer low-skilled jobs are not willing to hire a worker with beholder's degree. Because they worry that these highly educated employees will leave since they are less likely to endure the high pressure.

[sciencefriction]

I am Masters student at one of the top Canadian university, working in a warehouse as a part time for 30 hours per week under 0 degree Celsius temperature, travelling in a public transport for 2 hours daily, working on 3 academic project every 4 months and applying to more than 200 internship position in a month. All in all you have to struggle to survive no matter where you are.

[kateya]

If employers are hiring students with masters for office work, how can lower education students get any jobs. This is crazy, so sorry for the rest of graduated youths.

[浩然李-cy]

Numbers of graduates are growing. But the job market is actually shrinking. And another situation in China is that you might be facing layoff once you over 35. Not to mention people need to work so hard to get a job with the toxic work environment like intense workload and overtime. ( if you don't take this job, someone else will. Thats how toxic it is) I hope China can turn things around becuase there are many students like me are facing this challenge.

[thejuiceweasel]

Youth unemployment is horrible. If the starting message to your work life is "nobody wants you at the peak of your employability", then imagine how these youths must feel with most of their life yet to come.

[AvoidTheCadaver]

The problem it seems is China has pushed its youth into tertiary education to suit a service based economy, despite the fact that China's main strength is manufacturing.
Thr graph that shows China chasing down Germany's education rate doesn't mention one thing about Germany. The system there is much better structured for graduates, particularly from technical universities, to be placed in employment.

[learningtho]

I'm a Taiwanese Australian. I feel sad watching this. It's not like these young people are not trying. I can say that they are a very resilient bunch - having to cope through COVID-19, navigate through an economic downturn, rising living cost, high competition in the job market, rising house price which is pretty much unreachable already for many working professionals. I hope they don't give up and keep trying. Hopefully things work out for them and it will get better!

[day]

I graduated in the US in 2009, the year after the Financial crash. My entire graduating class that year had an unemployment rate of ~30%, and that's for people with a full Bachelor's degree or higher (even worse for those without). Nevertheless all of my friends who struggled then now have productive careers. So don't give up, keep looking, and get career experience wherever you can. Even part-time job and contracting work is better than nothing to put on your resume.

[SiLaChaCha]

The drive of the young man towards the end will be going far in life. People with his mindset always find a way. Best of luck to the entire 🌎

[Newie]

A good education is the dream of the parents. Its the economy that slaps the kids with the hand of reality.

[Adyen]

It's a much more serious problem than the video implies. Unemployed people won't go out to build families - which means another generation of low birth rates, and a continued downwards spiral etc, etc. China's failure to take care of this explosive unemployment problem will mean a continuing drop of population that the CCP will not be able to control.

[ferahl]

A very well put together, balanced documentary. Enjoyed it a lot thanks

[FallnNino]

Found it very different in Canada. A Master’s degree may be a must for any entry level job in nowadays China, while in Canada it will reject you from any low wage job for being overqualified. Extremely harsh for new graduates without direct experience but useless degrees from top universities.