The Debts of the Lenders: Chinese Graduates Become Enamored w/Civil Service Careers

The US and China are similar in more ways than one. Like the upward parallel trend towards a pursuit of civil service jobs instead of private sector work.

This article is encouraging as it marks the recent graduate market - a news segment that has traditionally been overlooked in favor of covering the woes of aging boomers. (While not all recent graduates are young there is a demographic bias towards those under the age of 25). Perhaps US media outlets will deign to cover the next bomb to unravel - the May/June graduation wave of those unable to find employment.

Students are under great stress to succeed, said Li of the human resources ministry. China has a one-child policy. Parents in eight of the biggest cities -- including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou -- spend about a third of their incomes on education, according to the Beijing-based Horizon Research Consultancy Group.

“Every student carries the hope of the entire family, so there would be great social impact if they can’t find jobs,” Li said. “The government is under pressure.”

Civil service is nicknamed the “gold rice bowl” because of its stability, annual pay raises and benefits packages, Wei said. Most of the more than 10 million civil servants work in government and law enforcement, and in related agencies.

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