Minding Their Own Business
By staff reporter ZHANG XUEYING
PROMOTING employment by encouraging college graduates to start a business is government policy," said Chen Guang, deputy director-general of the National Association of Vocational Education of China. "In developed countries and countries with a better employment environment, the proportion of college graduates who undertake to be self-employed is 20-30 percent. But in China, it is only 1 percent. The discrepancy is huge."
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Xu Weidong, a graduate from Zhejiang Province, sells real handcrafted toys in his online virtual store. |
A Startup Platform
"At present, we are strengthening the education and training for college students planning to start a business. Not only universities are encouraging college graduates to be self-employed, the employment guidance institutes in various localities are doing the same. Many schools have put small business curricula in place, and some schools have established programs for vocational exploration. Certain public education organizations provide suggestions and experienced advisors," summarizes Wang Yadong, deputy director of the Employment Promotion Department of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Since 2002, the government has issued many policies to encourage and guide college graduates starting a business. In 2008, 11 ministries and commissions jointly issued the Guiding Opinions on Encouraging People to Start Their Own Businesses to Promote Employment. This document encouraged various localities to establish business incubation bases, providing training, guidance and services to small enterprises needing support. It also demands that various localities organize project promotions, design business plans, conduct risk assessments and provide financial services, rounding out a professional guidance and consultation package.
"These government measures aim to solve the difficulties startups encounter, and reflect the importance attached to college graduates engaging in private enterprise," said Chen Guang.
Some companies are also deeply interested in giving college graduates a leg up in business. In June, the 2009 China Talent Group and the Beijing Institute of Technology jointly established the BIT & CTG Pioneering Center. Li Hao, president of the China Talent Group, said, "We hope we can train and develop students who can create value with innovative ideas. This is the potential that can make all the difference in a differentiated market."
The China Talent Group has invited a number of elite entrepreneurs and senior managers from well-known enterprises to be advisors and instructors. This series of training courses and lectures encourages novices in their undertakings, and introduces the basics of capital operations.
Some good training programs have also been introduced from abroad. One of them, Youth Business China (YBC), is especially popular among entrepreneurs-in-waiting. Since 2003, this program has been operating in the major centers of China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Xi'an and Jinan. An international project jointly run by six Chinese partners, it includes the All-China Youth Federation, the All-China Students' Federation and the Chinese Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, in cooperation with the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) founded by HRH the Prince of Wales, and Youth Business International of Britain.
Gu Liping, director-general of YBC, specifies this program is aimed at younger people aged between 18 and 35, who have the desire and potential to start their own businesses. Relying on social networks, especially in business circles, it provides support in consultancy, funding, technology and networking. "As long as young people have a good plan, as appraised by experts, they will be provided with RMB 30,000 to 50,000 in startup capital. We will also appoint an advisor to follow up with concrete guidance."
By the end of 2008, YBC had supported nearly 600 youth business projects, creating more than 5,000 jobs.
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