China News Service, Beijing, February 3 (Shao Meng) Employment is the greatest livelihood of the people. Recently, the provincial and local two sessions have been held intensively, and "employment" has become a high-frequency word in the government work report and a hot topic among representatives and committee members. Many places have included employment promotion as a practical matter for people's livelihood to be done in 2024, and have introduced practical measures in terms of job stabilization and job expansion, skills training, supply-demand matching, and entrepreneurship support.
College graduates, migrant workers, etc. are the focus
According to data released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on the 24th, 12.44 million new jobs will be created in cities and towns across the country in 2023, and employment has achieved overall stability and positive improvement.
Stabilizing the employment of key groups is not only the focus and difficulty of employment work, but also a focus topic of social concern. The Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of last year called for: "More emphasis on employment priority orientation and ensuring stable employment of key groups."
Data map: Applicants participating in a job fair. Photo by China News Network reporter Luo Yunfei
In the recent provincial government work reports released by various places, many places have listed promoting the employment of key groups such as college graduates, migrant workers, and disabled people as one of the practical matters for people's livelihood to be done in 2024.
For example, the Sichuan Provincial Government Work Report requires that college graduates be helped to find jobs as soon as possible when they first enter society and need the most help. Stabilize the employment of key groups such as migrant workers and the disabled, and provide employment services for retired military personnel.
In the central and western regions, the Gansu Provincial Government Work Report mentioned that more than 5 million urban and rural surplus laborers will be transferred, including more than 1.9 million people who have been lifted out of poverty.
Hunan mentioned that in 2024, it will launch a campaign to combat the employment of college graduates, coordinate the employment of veterans, migrant workers, people who have been lifted out of poverty, and people in urban difficulties, and ensure that zero-employment households are cleared.
Flexible employment and new forms of employment have been mentioned many times
In recent years, groups such as couriers, takeaway riders, and online ride-hailing drivers have continued to grow, and new employment forms and flexible employment have become important forms of employment.
Data map: The courier boy drives a tricycle to deliver goods. Photo by China News Service reporter Jia Tianyong
For these groups, government work reports in many places require that they be provided with protection. For example, Sichuan requires in the government work report to establish a mechanism to safeguard the rights and interests of flexible employment and new employment forms, so that couriers, takeaway riders, online ride-hailing drivers, etc. can feel more at ease and safer. Shanghai mentioned that it will implement flexible employment service guarantee actions.
New business formats are also a hot topic for discussion among representatives from various regions. Liu Yue, a member of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, suggested regulating the employment relationship and employment standards between platform companies and workers, guiding and urging companies to employ workers in compliance with the law, actively fulfill their employment responsibilities, and ensure workers' legal income.
The Zhejiang Provincial Federation of Trade Unions' sectoral proposal recommends establishing a legal status with legal basis in the signing of labor contracts, identification of labor relations, and definition of various rights and interests of workers; by improving the payment policy of the social insurance system, and guiding and standardizing new employment Measures such as commercial insurance for workers in new forms of employment further “support” workers in new forms of employment.
What are the practical measures for promoting employment in various places?
According to statistics from the Ministry of Education, the number of college graduates nationwide in 2024 is expected to reach 11.79 million, a year-on-year increase of 210,000. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security pointed out at a recent press conference that measures will be taken to expand employment opportunities and build a service system connecting inside and outside schools to increase employment support for young people such as college graduates. At the same time, we will strengthen support for people who have been lifted out of poverty and older rural labor forces.
Data map: Applicants communicate with employers. Photo by China News Network reporter Luo Yunfei
Looking through the work reports of various local governments, many places have introduced practical measures in terms of job stabilization and job expansion, skills training, supply and demand matching, and entrepreneurship support, releasing positive signals for stabilizing employment.
In 2023, Anhui Province will create 722,000 new jobs in cities and towns. Regarding this year's plan, Anhui mentioned in the government work report that it will give full play to the synergy of industry, employment, and entrepreneurship policies to provide more high-quality jobs. Implement the "one person, one policy" assistance plan for people with employment difficulties and develop more "doorstep" jobs. Zhejiang mentioned that it will develop more than 50,000 internship positions for college graduates who have not been employed within two years of leaving school.
In terms of skills training, Zhejiang requires the training of more than 30,000 certified digital high-skilled talents. Guangdong requires the implementation of a "strengthening base and quality training" plan for technical education to cultivate skilled craftsmen and craftsmen of great power. At the same time, we will improve the level of employment public services and improve the entrepreneurship and flexible employment security systems.
Fujian proposed that it will strengthen the construction of grassroots employment public service capabilities and strengthen vocational skills training. Build a province-wide unified employment information platform, fully launch the "smart employment" system, and promote the effective connection between supply and demand. (over)