Massive project provides many jobs

Wu Dadeng has been closely following the building of the first blast furnace at Baosteel's complex on Donghai Island.

The villager from Houhu on the island plans to be fully prepared for the scheduled operation of the facility in September, when he will be monitoring the operation of the blast furnace on a computer screen.

Having majored in iron and steel metallurgy at the Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Wu spent almost one year training at Baosteel's headquarters in Shanghai before transferring to his hometown.

"I'm happy that I can work at Baosteel, which is one of the world's top 500 companies and a leading iron and steel company, and at the same time care for my parents," Wu said.

"The income here is competitive in Zhanjiang," he said, adding he was preparing to buy an apartment in buildings Baosteel is developing in Haidong New District, close to the newly built Olympic Center.

Wu's parents, who still live in the village, relied on fishing for the family's livelihood and hoped their four children could secure better jobs, Wu said.

Wu's older sister ended her education after junior high school because of financial difficulties but her three siblings all attended university.

"Many of my primary school, middle school and university classmates have asked me whether there are job opportunities for them at Baosteel in Zhanjiang. More than a dozen of them have joined the project. Some have returned from their jobs in the Pearl River Delta to work and be close to their hometown," he said.

Two of Wu's cousins also work at the complex.

Baosteel's Zhanjiang project has a projected workforce of more than 4,000 people with 1,100 from the city. Related subsidiaries and supporting companies employ another 4,000, the majority of whom are locals, said Xia Zhengda, director of the corporate culture department.

"We are devoted to the integration of the modern industrial civilization and local culture," Xia said.

(China Daily 07/14/2015 page6)