The 2017 Return of Jiading's Young Talents project is officially launched in Shanghai's Jiading district on July 12. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]

The 2017 Return of Jiading's Young Talents project was officially launched in Shanghai's Jiading district on July 12.

In total, 129 Jiading-born university students participated in this year's project, which will involve internships at 39 separate local institutions, including several government departments and enterprises. The program aims to create ties between university students and local institutions and hopes to promote Jiading as an attractive area to return to upon graduation.

Unlike last year's initiative wherein a government affiliate was responsible for the students, a class committee has been established to encourage students to self-manage the experience. Furthermore, Students were provided with a diary to encourage documenting the various experiences and lessons learned during the respective internships.

Zhou Jinlin, vice Party Secretary of the district, welcomed the students at an opening ceremony and introduced Jiading's past, present, and future. He expressed the hoped that the students would gain a great deal of knowledge through the program and help to contribute to Jiading's development upon graduation.

Since its inception in 2007, a total of 1030 university students have taken part in the project. An estimated 480 of them have graduated with 260 settling into jobs in the Jiading area.

University students attend the launch ceremony of the 2017 Return of Jiading's Young Talents project. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]