'Sprint' aims to secure jobs for new workforce entrants

The Ministry of Education has launched a "100-day sprint" employment initiative for the 2026 graduating class, running from June to August, to help college graduates secure jobs during the critical period before and after leaving campus, according to a notice issued by the ministry recently.

The notice said efforts should be made to create a favorable environment for graduate employment and to promote higher-quality and fuller employment for new graduates.

A record 12.7 million college graduates are expected this year, according to figures previously released by the ministry.

Education authorities and universities have been urged to accelerate the implementation of employment-support policies, using quizzes and short videos to raise awareness of social security subsidies, tax incentives and startup loans, the ministry said.

In provincial regions, universities, schools and departments where employment progress lags, institutions should establish one-on-one contact with local human resources officials. They should also conduct targeted visits to companies and organize small-scale, specialized campus job fairs.

Recruitment for policy-backed positions, including civil service posts, public institutions and State-owned enterprises, will be accelerated, with all hiring scheduled to be completed by the end of August.

Targeted assistance will be provided to disadvantaged graduates through one-on-one support and employment capacity-building initiatives. Each disadvantaged graduate will be offered at least three stable job opportunities.

Strict regulations governing employment data reporting will be enforced, with violations subject to serious penalties. Continuous tracking and support will also be provided after graduates leave campus to ensure uninterrupted employment services.

The ministry has called on local education departments and universities to implement the "top-leader responsibility system" for employment and strengthen accountability.

During the campaign, more than 4,000 campus job fairs are expected to be held nationwide, providing over 5 million job vacancies. The National College Student Employment Service platform will host more than 10 themed online job fairs, offering more than 1.5 million positions, the ministry added.

Efforts to help vulnerable college graduates secure employment have intensified, with universities and provincial authorities rolling out targeted support mechanisms.

At Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei province, a "university-college-class" three-tier mechanism has been established to create individual files and tailored plans for each struggling student, according to Liu Bo, the university's Party secretary.

The university conducts nearly 300 organized corporate visits annually, holds around 2,000 job fairs, and has developed over 300 research assistant positions through major national sci-tech innovation platforms, he said.

More than 3 million yuan ($443,000) in job-seeking subsidies is distributed each year. As a result, in recent years, all vulnerable graduates who wish to work have secured jobs — a 100 percent placement rate. Nearly 80 percent of them have entered strategic emerging industries, and more than 90 percent have taken jobs in key national development regions, he said.

In Yunnan province, the employment of college graduates, especially those facing difficulties, has been made a top priority. The goal is to ensure that no student is left behind on the path to employment, said Yang Hongqiong, a senior provincial education department official.

A pairing mechanism involving 28,000 teachers has been established to assist 71,000 struggling graduates, with more than 201,000 support sessions provided. The province has allocated an annual special fund of 8.25 million yuan, which has so far trained 63,300 disadvantaged graduates, she said.

Special employment assistance campaigns are also carried out for graduates with disabilities, female college graduates, retired military personnel graduates, and those majoring in medicine, she added.