By Shan Shan

Theory of modern economics holds that, unemployment can be divided into 3 categories: capacity unemployment, frictional unemployment and structural unemployment. Structural unemployment is mainly generated when the change of economic structure (including industrial structure, product structure and area structure, etc.) comes into being, yet the knowledge, skills, conceptions and regional distribution of the existing labor forces do not adapt to this change, therefore, they can not match up to the demands of market. Experts think that, the redundancy of gross labor force and structural unemployment are interlaced together, which put great influence upon the college graduates' employment and it will be a very serious problem at least during the first 20 years of this century.

With the emergence of difficult employment of newly added labor force represented by graduating students, Ministry of education has set an objective that in 2005, the employment rate of college graduates should not be lower than that of the same period of the previous year, i.e. not lower than 73 percent (September, 2004). Senior level from the Ministry of Education expresses that the objective can really be realized though efforts. Is it real? 

Taking no account of the essence of 73 percent, we'll talk about the statistic method of the number. As to the mystery of "statistics" of employment rates in some higher schools, media has disclosed a great many, such as to sign an agreement means having got a job; college graduates can't get their graduation certificates if they refuse to fill with " employed "; students of their own colleges have priority to get qualification of post graduation, etc. 

Employment rate is just a number. Besides, the so-called employment is a sweeping concept. What higher schools should pursue at first is not the number itself, but the essence behind the number. That's to say, the quality of employment of college students and the competitiveness of them offered by their colleges.

During the period of April to May, the employment meetings on national college graduates from Beijing to Shanghai are more and more like food markets, in which there is huge crowd of people. Moreover, the employers are captious and the applicants intrigue against each other, which just like the buyers and sellers in the discount stores.

In 2001, a famous university in Beijing had conducted a questionnaire survey on 6,000 college graduates in China. At that time, the salary bottom line that college graduates can accept was 2,000 yuan, which afterwards has been reduced year after year. By 2005, the "psychological bottom line " has been reduced to 1,500 yuan, what's more, "this requirement can be negotiable "

In evidence, on the contrary, in 2002, there are 1.45 million graduates from Chinese regular institutions of higher learning. Afterwards, the number gets larger and larger. By 2005, this number nearly has got to 3.40 million. The change of supply and demand is the most direct cause of depreciation of graduates who can be seen as "merchandise".

45 percent of enterprises can't employ the right person they want while 50 percent of people can't get proper jobs; 35.4 percent of graduating students hope to work in party and state organs, but only 3 percent of them can make their dreams become true. In 2003, the number of graduates from Chinese regular institutions of higher learning was 2.12 million. In 2004, it increased to 2.8 million. This year, it has got to 3.38 million. The annual increment is about 600,000 and in the following several years, it will increase by hundreds of thousands. All these show that, the era that "daughters of emperor" don't worry to marry has gone, the employment pressure has become a factual social problem in China.

What course should college graduates follow? At present, owing to the serious situation of employment, a large number of graduates tend to continue their learning by taking part in the entrance exams for postgraduate schools. In fact, it means to postpone employment and repose on future. Currently, in China, there exist the phenomenon that postgraduates only get a salary of 500 yuan. What if it will be more serious in three years? It is obvious that to take part in the entrance exams is not the best choice.

There is another comparison: since 1000 persons snatch for a "working" seat, why not make seats for themselves without more ado? It has become an important dispersion mode of employment that college graduates work as independent developers. Experts hold that, the thoughts of independent develop are quite good, but due to the fact that the young has not seen the cruelty of reality and surfed in the business tidal waves, many of the thoughts are just unrealistic "mirages".

In the end of each May, this year's college graduates enter into the candescent stage of job-hunting. While the Unified Universities Entrance Examination coming in a week even pulls more families' pulses. However, the changes of structural unemployment and main traditional employment channels make genearch and examinees more cautious to choose schools and majors.

¡ª "If you have known that after your 10-year hard learning and your family's great efforts to support, you can just get a work with a salary of hundreds yuan, will you still choose to study in universities? "

¡ª"I prefer to work as a nurserymaid earlier, who will be supported with free food and living place. "

The above answer is said by an indignant female graduate. In fact, it is not just a black humor.