Graduates choosing Wuhan for promising careers

In 2016 when Liu Qi, aged 29, was a PhD candidate at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei province, he founded Feiliu Intelligent Technology at the city's East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, also known as the Optics Valley of China.

Liu said he had investigated Beijing and Shenzhen before deciding to stay in Wuhan.

"The first reason behind my decision is that I have close connections with the city. I've been in Wuhan for more than 10 years for my studies and career," Liu said.

Besides, the city has created a favorable environment for entrepreneurship, he said. "There are a lot of universities, high-tech industrial parks and startups like us."

"We were given supportive policies and became motivated in such an open and friendly atmosphere," he added. 

Liu's company was recognized as a national high-tech enterprise in 2021. Its major products, including unmanned aerial vehicles and UAV intelligent stations, have been used in such industries as wind power, fire safety and environmental monitoring.

Liu is among millions of university graduates who chose Wuhan to launch their career and achieve success.

Official data showed that the city received a total of 1.73 million fresh graduates between 2017-21. In 2021 alone, the number of university graduates gaining employment in Wuhan hit a record high of 345,200.

In the past, young people preferred first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai as they are home to legions of businesses that can provide ample job opportunities, said Jing Pengfei, director of the career guidance and service center at Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

But now, many industry giants have built their regional headquarters or branches in Wuhan, making the city a good alternative, Jing said.

According to official statistics, Wuhan is now home to 9,151 national high-tech enterprises, ranking eighth in the country. Additionally, more than 300 Fortune Global 500 companies have invested in the city. 

Zhang Mimi, a graduate of Wuhan University of Technology, began her first job in 2021 at the second headquarters of leading phone maker Xiaomi in Wuhan.

"I also received job offers from enterprises based in Beijing and Shenzhen. By comparison, it's more cost-effective to stay in Wuhan considering the salary and living expenses," she said.

In June, the city government released a package of 20 measures to help college students overcome pandemic-induced difficulties and get jobs.

These included rental subsidies, tax relief, financial aid to startups and special loans for small businesses that offer jobs to new graduates. 

Before that, the city's bureau of human resources built 15 service stations in local universities. Officials from the bureau said the program was aimed at providing students with efficient employment services and attracting more talent.

The bureau plans to expand the program in the coming years and take the total number of such service stations to 50 by 2023.