[caixin]Why many Chinese university graduates are going to vocational school

Why many Chinese university graduates are going to vocational school

Trend signals profound shift in attitudes toward education and employment

Students attend a graduation ceremony at Central China Normal University in Wuhan, Hubei province, in 2021. © Reuters

ZHANG CAN, Caixin

September 20, 2025 12:30 JST

Six years after earning her bachelor's degree in instrumental performance, Gao Shenghan found herself back in a classroom, this time as a freshman at the Guangzhou Baiyun Technician College of Business and Technology. Her new major: fashion.

After graduating from university, Gao cycled through several industries, working as a music teacher, running a restaurant, and opening a clothing store. Ultimately, her passion for apparel and a desire for a competitive edge in the job market led her to what many in China call "re-tooling" -- returning to school for a technical education.

Gao is part of a growing cohort of Chinese university graduates who, sometimes years into their careers, are enrolling in vocational schools. The trend includes alumni from the country's most elite institutions, signaling a profound shift in attitudes toward education and employment amid a challenging job market.

The phenomenon extends to graduates like Tong Jiejiong, a holder of a master's degree from the prestigious Tsinghua University. After being laid off from her research and policy job in the climate change sector due to a corporate restructuring, Tong enrolled in the Shandong Lanxiang Technician College to study culinary arts. While her decision baffled many online observers, Tong said her interest in cooking was the primary motivation.

For most, however, the choice to pursue "reverse education" -- moving from a bachelor's degree to a technical diploma, or even a master's to a technician's certificate -- is a pragmatic calculation aimed at securing a new career or simply gaining a foothold in the workforce.

"As the gross enrollment rate in higher education rises, we expect the number of university students to continue increasing, exceeding 10 million annually in the coming years," said Zeng Xiangquan, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of Labor and Human Resources, in a media interview. "When effective demand for jobs is insufficient, the employment pressure on the highly educated becomes prominent."

University graduates often face a dilemma: their theoretical knowledge is disconnected from practical industry needs, leaving them overqualified for entry-level positions but under-skilled for technical roles. Mao Yufei, an associate professor at the Capital University of Economics and Business's School of Labor Economics, noted this trend points to a need for educational reform.

"If students, after completing higher education, still need to 're-tool' with vocational training, it implies that the initial educational resources were not effectively converted into employability," Mao said. "This results in a duplication and waste of human, material, and financial resources."

The trend underscores a deep structural contradiction in China's labor market: a surplus of candidates for white-collar jobs alongside a severe shortage of skilled technical talent for emerging industries.

This supply-demand mismatch has captured the attention of national and local authorities. This year, cities and provinces including Beijing, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Henan have launched "Skills Light the Future" training initiatives, which focus on developing talent for what Beijing terms "new quality productive forces" and emerging professions.

In a significant policy shift, the provinces of Guangdong and Zhejiang have started integrating university graduates directly into their technical training pipelines. In mid-August, Guangdong released a pilot program that includes a one-year technician track specifically for bachelor's and master's degree holders. Zhejiang has similarly proposed creating full-time pre-technician courses for unemployed university graduates, allowing them to enroll and receive the same benefits as regular vocational students.

Xiong Bingqi, president of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, noted that unlike traditional degrees, these technician programs are non-credit bearing and award skills certificates upon passing an examination. "Implementing 'bachelor-to-technician' and 'master-to-technician' programs at the provincial level is a new direction in skills-based talent development," Xiong said.

These policies, according to Mao, help dismantle the traditional "diploma-only" mindset while cultivating respect for craftsmanship. More importantly, they address the structural imbalances in the job market by providing talent for high-demand sectors.

This pragmatic, employment-oriented approach is also reflected in recent university admissions. Some top-scoring high school students have opted to enroll in leading vocational institutions like Shenzhen Polytechnic University over traditional elite universities, targeting specialized, high-demand programs.

Data suggests vocational graduates are faring well. A report from MyCos Research Institute found that the employment placement rate for 2024 vocational school graduates six months after graduation was 88.6%, slightly higher than the 86.7% rate for their bachelor's degree-holding peers.

In the face of these structural changes, whether it is a graduate "re-tooling" mid-career or a top student choosing a vocational path, these decisions are rooted in economic reality.

Mao recommends a two-pronged approach: higher education institutions should strengthen industry integration through applied bachelor's and professional master's programs, while the government should foster a "lifelong learning" ecosystem. This would make skills enhancement a continuous part of a career, he said, "rather than a remedial measure after a professional setback."

profesor

[caixin]Why many Chinese university graduates are going to vocational school

Why many Chinese university graduates are going to vocational school

公告