Geng Jie, who obtained her master's degree in urban and rural planning last summer, declined a job offer from the provincial architectural design and research institute and instead chose to be a grassroots civil servant in the mountain-locked countryside of Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
Using her expertise, Geng has engaged in a series of projects to beautify a village over the past year, such as wall paintings, toilet renovation and transforming local dwellings into homestays.
With an improved environment, the village has become a hot destination for short trips on weekends and holidays. It received more than 80,000 visits last year, according to Geng.
"Working at the grassroots level teaches me how to think from the general public's perspective," says Geng. "I have enhanced my abilities, fostered a good character and learned to take a more humble approach to things here."
This year, China has provided college graduates and young professionals with over 120,000 community-level posts through various programs launched by the central government. Many of those employed were posted to rural and inland areas to assist in education, agriculture, healthcare and other causes for rural vitalization.
"The talent shortage in rural areas of central and west China has been changed by these knowledgeable and skillful students," says Zhang Tao, an official with the human resources and social security bureau of Shangluo city in Shaanxi.
In Luonan county of Shangluo, nestled in the Qinling Mountains area, 33 teachers were recruited by a local primary school in the past five years to strengthen the faculty and they also helped with the establishment of dance, piano and traditional instrument clubs for students.
Having taught Chinese in the school since 2019, Liu Xin says around half of his students' parents are working outside the county. "I try to treat my students the same way my mother treats me," Liu says, adding that he visits each student's home at least three times every semester to learn more about them and offer help.
Zhang Qiong, an associate professor with the School of Public Administration and Policy of Renmin University of China, says that today's college graduates face a broad job market in county-level regions, citing the fact that the industrial chain is expanding in counties nationwide.
At an apple growing base in a village in Qianyang county in Shaanxi, 31-year-old He Jiangjiang was busy working in the orchard.
Apple growing is a pillar industry in Shaanxi, with some 2 million farmers directly engaged in apple cultivation and nearly 10 million working in the industrial chain.
After earning a bachelor's degree in plant protection from South China's Hainan University in 2015, He has been working for a local fruit company in Qianyang, specializing in pest control and technology.
About 90 percent of the base's 40 members are college graduates, says He, adding that being able to help farmers earn more by sharing his knowledge brings a sense of fulfillment.
Chinese authorities have pledged to implement favorable policies for graduates seeking grassroots jobs and provided annual subsidies to youths working at the grassroots level.
Meanwhile, grassroots posts have played an active role in enriching the job market as college graduates in China reached a record 10.76 million this year.
"Young people in China today are more inclined to choose jobs where they can make a difference," says Zhang Qiong. "The vast rural areas provide youth a big stage to show their talents, as well as plenty of opportunities to enhance their capabilities."
