Shanghai has since 2012 been creating about 600,000 jobs a year, keeping the unemployment rate just over 4 percent, government authorities said yesterday.
The population of registered unemployed young people was reduced by more than 32 percent to 53,400 last year, said Zhao Zhuping, director of the Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.
“The majority of the unemployed has been transferred from those in their 40s and 50s to those in their 20s and 30s,” said Zhao. “So helping the young people get employed is one of our key tasks.”
A project was launched in 2012 to help this group of people start their career life. Under the comprehensive program, about 20,000 young people are put into internships every year and 65 percent of them have got jobs within six months.
The city also provides subsidies for companies hiring young people who are finding it difficult to get a job.
Social welfare has also been improved year by year. Pensions for employees and farmers have been raised by 52 and 103 percent respectively.
The minimum pay in Shanghai has also been increased — by 51 percent to 2,190 yuan per month, among the highest levels in China. The new minimum pay level takes effect on April 1.
The city is also applying to host the WorldSkill Competition in 2021, and to promote craft skills among the public.
From 2012 to 2016, the city has provided vocational training for more than 2.8 million people.
