Graduation Photos with a Twist
- Chinese graduates are posting unconventional graduation photos on social media.
- The photos depict a theme of “being more dead than alive.”
- These images show graduates sprawled on the ground, slumped over chairs, and hanging listlessly.
- These photos aim to reflect the challenging reality and limited job prospects faced by fresh graduates.
Bleak Job Market for College Students
- This summer, approximately 11.6 million college students are expected to enter the job market in China.
- However, the prospects for these graduates are discouraging due to the high urban youth unemployment rate, which reached 20.8% in May.
- The job market is under stress, with the slowing economy and a regulatory crackdown affecting sectors like tech and education.
- These industries, which traditionally hire a large number of graduates, are facing challenges due to government policies and economic factors.
Degrees and Unemployment
- The increasing number of graduates has created a mismatch between their skills and the available job opportunities.
- Some graduates worry that their degrees are becoming less valuable to employers.
- As a result, many students pursue postgraduate degrees to gain a competitive edge.
- China has witnessed a significant rise in the number of master’s and doctorate degrees awarded in the past decade.
- However, even advanced degrees do not guarantee job prospects, as highlighted by the experiences of some graduates.
Dark Humor Amidst Challenges
- Despite the limited prospects, graduates use dark humor in their unconventional graduation photos to cope with the challenging odds.
- These photos are seen as a way to celebrate graduation while acknowledging the exhaustion and discouragement experienced during their studies.
- The trend reflects a departure from traditional graduation photos with books and bouquets, seen as less interesting by some.
- The humor and relatability of these photos have resonated with many people, reflecting the mental state of graduate students.
Challenges and Compounding Crises
- China’s high youth unemployment rate poses significant challenges, with implications for the economy and social issues.
- Youth contribute to various sectors of the economy, including rent, transportation, communication, and culture.
- The rising youth unemployment could lead to reduced consumer spending and a weaker national economy.
- The aging population and the delay in starting families further compound the problems associated with high youth unemployment.
- Stagnating wages, limited upward mobility, unaffordable housing, and rising living costs contribute to the frustrations felt by young people.
Government Efforts and Future Outlook
- Chinese authorities have attempted to address the pessimism and youth unemployment through financial incentives and other initiatives.
- However, these efforts have had limited impact.
- The flood of new graduates entering the job market is expected to increase the unemployment rate further.
- The skills mismatch issue may gradually improve with appropriate policies, but significant short-term improvement is unlikely.
- High youth unemployment is expected to persist for the next few years, creating challenges for millions of students entering the workforce.