In today’s world, the job market is evolving at a rapid pace. The way people work has changed, and the types of jobs on offer have evolved too. But one thing that has remained constant is that certain jobs are in greater demand than others. In China, for example, e-commerce has given rise to a host of new occupations, from online chat specialists to customer service agents.
Teaching
If you meet a random foreigner in China, they will ask you “what do you do?”. This is because teaching is one of the most common occupations in China, with some estimates putting the number of teachers at around 60 million.
Teaching has become a popular career choice for young Chinese because of the many career opportunities available to those who have a teaching qualification. The educational requirements for becoming a teacher are relatively low, with the minimum requirement being a secondary school diploma. This has made it easier for students without a teaching background to enter the profession. In China, a growing number of parents are also placing greater value on a teacher’s educational background.
Education in China is regarded as the second most important occupation after farming – for parents and children alike. This is because of the many career opportunities available to those who have a teaching qualification, as well as the low requirements to become a teacher.
Salaries for average teaching jobs vary significantly depending on the region. In Beijing, the average salary for teaching is around ¥30,000 per month.
Trade/Commerce
If it weren't for trade, China would have a far smaller economy than it does today. Trade has allowed China to develop into the second largest global economy, and it is expected to overtake the United States by 2028.
Commerce has been the key to China’s economic development. However, China is one of the world’s largest importers, and this has had a significant impact on employment in the industry. As of 2016, there were around 60 million people employed in trade and commerce.
Today, merchants from all over the world come to China to buy and sell goods. This has given rise to a host of new occupations, from the traditional “silk road” sellers to e-commerce specialists.
IT/Tech
The IT sector is perhaps the fastest growing industry in China. According to the World Bank, the country is the world’s 2nd largest market for information and communication technologies (ICTs). The rise of the IT industry has transformed China into one of the world’s leading centres for innovation.
This field of work, like many others, has a high demand for qualified graduates. The main reason for this is the increasing trend of automation in the workplace, which is having a significant impact on the number of new jobs available. To date, most jobs in the industry have been created through foreign direct investment, which is often seen as a more secure route to employment than developing local skills.
