China’s economy continues to decline, making job prospects difficult, especially for university graduates facing the possibility of unemployment immediately upon graduation. This scenario has become more common in recent years. On April 20th, the topic of “Encouraging Vocational Schools to Admit University Graduates” sparked attention across the internet.
According to a report by “Caijing” on April 20th, there has been a growing trend of university graduates returning to vocational schools in recent years. Many regions have introduced policies to encourage vocational schools to establish classes specifically for university graduates to promote high-quality employment opportunities.
As reported by the “Beijing Human Resources” WeChat public account, Beijing will launch 6 full-time university graduate technician classes and 21 skills employment training classes this year. These programs will adopt a combination of long and short-term training, offering a tailored curriculum to help university students enter a “new track” of skill-based employment.
The 6 university graduate technician classes will provide full-time education and last for 2 years, including 1 year of on-campus studies and 1 year of internship in cooperating enterprises. Upon completion, students will receive graduation certificates from vocational schools, occupational skill level certificates related to their field, and job placement recommendations.
In addition to Beijing, provinces like Zhejiang, Guangdong, Shandong, and Anhui have also introduced similar supportive policies for vocational schools to offer technician classes to unemployed university graduates. For instance, Zhejiang piloted these programs in Huzhou and Shaoxing in 2025, with plans to expand them across the province in 2026.
The trend of university graduates returning to vocational schools has sparked widespread discussions online regarding the unemployment situation among graduates.
Netizens expressed their opinions, stating that “getting further vocational education is no longer a joke but a reality,” “the end of university leads to returning to technical schools,” and “most vocational and technical colleges teach skills that are not as practical and efficient as those learned through training programs in the real world.”
Some users commented, “It’s an epic joke. Are universities only responsible for ensuring students survive four years safely?” and “Schools have become shelters. Imagine putting a bunch of unemployed young and energetic people in society – what could happen?”
Others critiqued the education system, expressing concerns like, “The Ministry of Education should be ashamed to see this news. Are they worth their salaries?” and “The current education system needs reform. Graduates nowadays have no idea what to do post-graduation; it’s too challenging.”
A leading lecturer at Beijing Reed Changtai Education Technology Co., Ltd. and a well-known personality on Weibo, “Theoretical Law Song Guangming,” shared thoughts online, questioning, “Doesn’t this feel like an insult to certain universities? Isn’t this implying that these universities have become institutions selling diplomas?
He further remarked, “What similarities and differences do these universities have compared to the women who used to sell fake certificates at the university gates? They both provide certificates but do not take responsibility for employment. The difference is that one sells genuine certificates at a high cost over four years, while the other sells fake certificates cheaply in just four days.”