China’s technical schools offer both hope and despair for jobless university graduates
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- China's technical schools are attracting university graduates struggling to find employment, a trend known as "returning to the furnace."
- The number of institutions offering programs for graduates has surged, with many advertising guaranteed employment.
- While offering hope, these schools often fall short of graduates' expectations, highlighting job market pressures.
China's technical schools are emerging as an unconventional lifeline for university graduates facing a challenging job market, a phenomenon colloquially termed "returning to the furnace." These institutions offer practical skills training, aiming to improve employability for degree-holders struggling to secure positions.
As China’s university graduates face mounting job market pressures, a growing number are turning to an unconventional lifeline: vocational training schools.
The trend is gaining significant traction. Data from the Chinese Society for Technical and Vocational Education reveals a substantial increase in technical schools offering formal programs tailored for university graduates. The number of such institutions rose from 26 in 2023 to 45 in 2025, marking a 73.08% increase. A 2024 report by recruitment platform Zhaopin indicated that over half of graduates surveyed believed attending a technical school would enhance their job prospects.
In response to this demand, vocational colleges have introduced various programs, including full-time technical classes and short-term courses. Many prominently feature "guaranteed employment" and "state-owned enterprise placements" as key selling points. Some institutions have even simplified admission processes, waiving entrance exams and requiring only registration and tuition fees.
52.2 per cent of graduates believed that returning to technical school would improve their job prospects.
Personal accounts illustrate the varied motivations behind this shift. Zhou Jingbo, a civil engineering graduate, found himself repeatedly rejected for interior design roles due to the property market downturn and his lack of practical experience. Seeking a more viable career path, he enrolled at Zhengzhou Technician College to study electrical automation, hoping a skilled trade would improve his employment outlook, according to an article by the Henan Association for Science and Technology.
He enrolled at Zhengzhou Technician College to study electrical automation, hoping a practical trade would turn his fortunes around.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by South China Morning Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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