China to launch trainee program for 1 mln unemployed college graduates

Special Report: Global Financial Crisis
BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- China will launch a graduate trainee program for one million unemployed college graduates in three years, according to a circular issued by the general office of the State Council on Sunday.
The program did not suggest a fixed length or pay scale of the training, but the circular demanded local governments and organizations which provided training to offer basic living subsidies to the trainees.
The government would build training bases for the program with responsible employers, and employers are encouraged to recruit graduate trainees, said the circular.
Besides the trainee program, the government would also enhance technical training for graduates from vocational schools with a "double certificates" program.
According to the program, schools would help the students get vocational qualification certificates when they leave school, in addition to their graduate certificates.
China had about 1.5 million unemployed college graduates by the end of 2008, registering an unemployment rate of 12 percent, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said in the Blue Book of China's Economy (2009) last December.Chinese premier invites grassroots suggestions for gov't work
BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen grassroots representatives - some of them farmers, pig-raisers, migrant workers, college graduates, doctors and primary school teachers - were invited to the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in downtown Beijing last week by the premier to voice their opinions on government work.
Sitting beside an oval table, the 13 people, excited and nervous, all experienced their first face-to-face talk with Premier Wen Jiabao.
All-out efforts in employment expansion urged BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council, or the cabinet, issued a notice Tuesday that urged governments at all levels to make every possible effort to expand employment.
The notice said that the deepening global financial crisis makes it more difficult to offer jobs for new labor force and unemployment risks continue to increase. In response, governments should adopt a more vigorous employment policy to maintain stable employment and social order.
Ministry: China to create 775,000 jobs through rural stores by end-2010
BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- China will establish 250,000 rural retail stores by next year to create 775,000 jobs for migrant workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the global economic crisis, a Ministry of Commerce official said Monday.
Vice Commerce Minister Jiang Zengwei said this year the ministry would set up 150,000 stores. This and the building of ancillary services, including delivery centers and post offices, which would create "a large amount of jobs" for migrant workers.
Rising unemployment becomes China's top challenge
BEIJING, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- A survey conducted by China Economic Monitoring and Analysis Center predicted that rising unemployment would be the biggest challenge for China's economy this year.
The survey showed, more than 90 percent of the 100 economists surveyed expressed their worries over the country's increasing unemployment rate, which had added woes to a world economic downturn.
Chinese Vice Premier: boost employment, guarantee people's living
BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said Monday that employment and people's livelihood should be guaranteed.
Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when visiting the southern Guangdong Province, a major base for export-oriented manufacturers that had provided jobs for many migrant workers.