(Yicai) Nov. 21 -- As China’s economic structure continues to evolve, the country is expanding new labor service brands, including artificial intelligence trainers, to offer more job opportunities for young people, Yicai learned at a conference hosted by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

At the third National Labor Cooperation and Labor Brand Development Conference held recently in Nanning, Guangxi province, the MOHRSS highlighted a range of emerging labor brands, including AI trainers and low-altitude flight computer numerical control operators from Shanghai, and animation creative designers from Shenyang in Liaoning province.

China began developing labor service brands in 2021 to build a skilled workforce and improve job seekers’ employability. These government-backed, region- and industry-specific programs integrate skills training, employment services, and standardized certification to create reliable sources of skilled labor. According to the MOHRSS, the country now has nearly 2,500 such brands, which have supported the employment of close to 100 million people.

The Xuhui AI Trainer is a labor brand developed by the human resources company Shanghai-based Lingang Caohejing Talent in cooperation with several leading AI firms. It has supplied more than 1,600 workers to AI companies to date, with the median annual income for these professionals ranging from CNY150,000 to CNY200,000 (USD21,000 to USD28,000).

AI trainer roles focus on creating new employment pathways within the digital economy. After receiving appropriate training, job seekers can quickly adapt to workplace scenarios and improve their employability, Ma Jialu, recruitment director of Caohejing Talent, told Yicai. Case studies show that trained chemical data annotators can earn a monthly salary of CNY13,000 (USD1,800), a 50 percent increase from their initial expectations, Ma added.

The Yangpu Low-Altitude Flight CNC Operator is another technology-driven labor brand from Shanghai. It was jointly developed by the Yangpu Human Resources and Social Security Bureau and the HR firm China International Intellectech Group.

This low-altitude economy HR brand aims to train practitioners to master flight operations in various scenarios, including high-altitude regions and densely populated urban areas. It is designed to help key groups such as college graduates and military veterans secure employment.

Shenyang, an old industrial base in Northeast China, has been actively developing its cultural and creative industries in recent years to support industrial transformation. The Shenyang Animation Artist labor brand, supported by the local government, has gathered more than 20,000 practitioners, who have contributed to many well-known animation and gaming projects, including Ne Zha 2 and Black Myth: Wu Kong.

The animation profession is highly suitable for young people, Wu Zhe, president of the Shenyang Animation Industry Association, told Yicai. The average annual income of animation practitioners in Shenyang now exceeds CNY100,000 (USD14,000), significantly higher than the local average salary, and earnings continue to rise as experience and skills grow, Wu added.

Since 2022, the number of college graduates in China has exceeded 10 million for four consecutive years and continues to rise. Next year, the figure is expected to reach 12.7 million, an increase of 480,000 from this year, according to data released by the Ministry of Education yesterday.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Emmi Laine