cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/17841645
A record 3.4 million young Chinese workers flocked to the civil service exam this year, lured by the prospect of lifetime job security and perks including subsidised housing as an economic slowdown batters the private sector and youth unemployment remains high.
Applicant numbers, which surged by over 400,000 from last year and have tripled since 2014, reflect the huge demand for stability from disillusioned Gen Z Chinese, and the lack of attractive options in the private sector even though local governments are struggling to pay wages due to a fiscal crisis.
[…]
Most civil service openings have an age limit of 35 and offer subsidised housing and social insurance, a major attraction for graduates disillusioned by the paucity of private sector job opportunities.
Youth unemployment rates, which fell slightly in recent months, remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic figures as China’s economy struggles to recover amid a prolonged property sector crisis and frail consumption.
Many Gen Z Chinese “feel a strong sense of burnout and don’t know what is meaningful” after having their university years defined by the pandemic and China’s economic slowdown, said a Chinese sociology professor on condition of anonymity.
[…]