(Yicai) April 21 -- An increasing number of Chinese college graduates are enrolling in technical schools to boost their job prospects, and more regions are introducing policies encouraging the creation of special classes to teach them practical skills.

China continues to produce record numbers of college graduates -- some 12.2 million last year and possibly 12.7 million this year -- according to official data. Many struggle to find work.

Beijing will launch six full-time technician classes for university graduates and 21 skills training classes to help them find skill-based employment, according to a post added to the city’s human resources and social security agency’s official WeChat account on April 16.

The six technician classes will be a full-time two-year program, including one year of study on campus and one year of internship at partner enterprises. Upon graduation, students will receive a diploma from the technical school and a corresponding vocational skill level certificate, along with job placement recommendations.

The subjects covered include smart manufacturing technology, biopharmaceuticals, electronic technology, with an emphasis on integrated circuit technology, auto maintenance, focusing on new energy vehicle on-site engineering, along with arts and crafts.

Technical schools in other regions have also been looking at setting up special classes for college graduates. Last year, Guangzhou Public Utility Technician College launched a preparatory technician class for new bachelor's degree holders. According to Huang Danfeng, its vice president, the class will expand to cover more subjects this year, with plans to enroll more than 100 students.

According to the 2024 College Graduates Employment Capacity Research Report released by career development platform Zhaopin, 52 percent of graduates answered positively to the question of whether "returning to school" to learn new skills would help with finding a job.

Ding Changfa, an associate economics professor at Xiamen University, told Yicai that the increasing number of college graduates seeking courses at vocational schools shows that many universities are failing to offer programs that meet the market demand.

It also demonstrates that there is a need to further relax the rules for changing majors or even transferring between universities, Ding said, adding that this could provide new opportunities for students who are dissatisfied with their chosen fields of study.

Editor: Tom Litting