China’s urban youth unemployment rate edged lower last month but remained at a concerning level amid ongoing struggles for many young people to find work in a challenging and crowded job market.
The jobless rate for the 16 to 24 age group, excluding students, dipped to 17.7 per cent in September from 18.9 per cent in August. Financial news outlet Cailian reported the figure on Wednesday, citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
For many, job opportunities matching their skills and expectations have remained elusive in a market strained by deflationary pressures and external uncertainties.
Computer science graduate Zhu Yiran shared that she had applied to more than a dozen state-owned enterprises since September to no avail.
“Initially, I wanted to work in the public sector, but I’m realising that it’s not easy to get in,” she said.
While she continues her job search, the fresh graduate is also preparing for China’s national civil service exam at the end of the year, though she remains pessimistic about passing.
