Recently, the Organization Department of Wanan County Committee in Ji’an City, Jiangxi Province, released an official announcement regarding the appointment of officials, which includes nominating three post-90s female officials with college degrees as candidates for deputy directors of the township People’s Congress, attracting attention.
According to a situation report released on November 9 by the Ji’an City Wanan County Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, there has been public attention on the information related to the cadre pre-appointment announcement issued by Wanan County on the 4th.
The situation report explained that in August this year, according to the work arrangements, Ji’an City unified the selection of leading cadres in township institutions from personnel in town and township enterprises, village (community) party organization secretaries, selected cadres, first secretaries stationed in villages, and members of the village work team. The three young women selected are all proposed candidates who have passed the selection process.
These three individuals are personnel in town and township institutions of Wanan County who were recruited, trained, and employed for rural household registration, with their first qualification being full-time secondary vocational education, and obtaining an in-service college degree through continuing education while working.
Currently, these three individuals have been working in townships for over 5 years and meet the selection criteria. After written tests, interviews, inspections, and other procedures, they were confirmed as proposed candidates by the county standing committee following discussions. The relevant procedures were carried out strictly in accordance with relevant regulations.
Before this, the topic of “3 post-90s female officials with in-service college degrees” had trended on mainland Chinese social media.
As per the official announcement by the WeChat public account “Wanan Organization Information” on the 4th, seven officials were announced for appointment, and among them, three female officials born in February 1999, June 1998, and November 1997, are proposed nominees for deputy directors of the township People’s Congress.
Prior to the announcement, these three individuals held positions as officials in the Dianqian Township Service Center, Xiazao Town Service Center, and Shaping Town Service Center in Wanan County.
All three individuals have in-service college degrees, leading to strong attention from the public:
– “In an era where postgraduates are abundant, these three didn’t even make it to a bachelor’s degree. The authorities claim the process is legal and compliant, frustrating those from prestigious universities.”
– “With a plethora of postgraduate returnees struggling to find jobs, promoting secondary vocational education students is a bold move! It’s a remarkable overtaking maneuver on a curved path!”
– “What kind of privilege is this? Bachelor’s and master’s graduates are delivering food and parcels, while secondary vocational students are securing careers. How exceptional must these secondary vocational students be!”
– “How impressive. If these three were to take the civil service exam, I wonder how they’d perform.”
– “From the resumes of these three individuals, there are reasons to question whether the selection criteria and scope were tailored for them specifically, with the inclusion of village stationed cadres as a mere facade to meet requirements.”
– “Secondary vocational students are this amazing, with specialized appointments. Do ordinary people know about this good opportunity? If they did, they’d definitely skip university and opt for vocational schools.”
The Chinese economy is in a downturn, with a wave of factory closures and employee layoffs, causing high youth unemployment rates.
According to the “2024 College Graduates’ Employment Strength Survey Report” published by Zhaopin in July, only 48% of recent graduates have received informal job offers.
Moreover, the number of applicants for the 2025 Chinese National Civil Service Examination has hit a record high, exceeding 3.25 million. Among them, for a position of one director and staff member at the Chinese Vocational Education Association, 16,702 people applied.
In August, Baoshan University in Yunnan planned to recruit seven security personnel and dormitory managers, four of whom hold master’s degrees, with three serving as dormitory managers.
In the newly recruited temporary janitor list for Nanjing Aeronautical and Astronautical University Suzhou Affiliated Middle School, there was even a physics master’s graduate; and in the 2024 recruitment list for fresh graduates at the Beijing Palace Museum, there was a Beijing University software engineering graduate applying for a security guard position.
Netizens lament: “Wasting talent” and “underusing capabilities.”
Historian Li Yuanhua in Australia commented: “Finding a job nowadays is extremely challenging. Applying for a low-level position is also a way to survive, as otherwise, individuals can’t sustain themselves. The root cause of unemployment lies in the Chinese Communist Party’s creation of so-called ‘educational industrialization,’ turning higher education into a profit-oriented industry. With China’s bleak economic prospects, the future unemployment issues for university graduates could worsen.”