China Institute for Employment Research, established by Professor Zeng Xiangquan of the SLHR in 2004, is one of the leading institutions in labor market research. The institute regularly publishes the China Employment Market Report each quarter, focusing on employment market dynamics measured by the CIER Index, the ratio of job vacancies to the number of unemployed individuals.

According to the institute's data, the CIER Index for the second quarter of 2024 has declined both quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year, falling below the levels of the same period from 2019 to 2022, indicating increased difficulty for job seekers. Notably, predictive models suggest that due to trend, cyclical, and seasonal factors, the CIER Index will be higher in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the second quarter. Regionally, second-tier cities in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta have relatively high CIER indices, while some northern second-tier cities have lower indices. By enterprise size, the CIER Index decreases progressively from large to micro-enterprises.

High Demand for Blue-Collar Workers

Currently, there is a high demand for blue-collar workers in new dynamic industries, while demand in traditional industries is contracting. Apart from the transportation, storage, and postal industries, where the blue-collar employment climate index has risen quarter-on-quarter, other industries have seen declines both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter. The construction, accommodation, and catering industries have the lowest blue-collar employment indices. In the manufacturing sector, demand for general workers in large enterprises is declining, whereas demand for skilled workers remains stable. This trend is evident not only in direct recruitment by large enterprises but also in the recruitment needs within their ecosystems. A dynamic monitoring survey of 'front-line' positions in enterprises with 500 or more employees in the Suzhou Industrial Park showed that in the first quarter of 2024, the new generation information technology industry had the highest demand for front-line workers. Regarding supply and demand matching, there is a shortage of skilled workers, particularly CNC technicians, electrical technicians, maintenance workers, and electricians. For small and medium-sized enterprises, recruitment demand is relatively strong in new service formats, characterized by trends of chain operation, branding, and the rise of franchise employment, especially in traditional home and lifestyle services where many chain brands have emerged.

High Demand for White-Collar Jobs in Emerging Industries

Among 'white-collar' jobs, high-end equipment manufacturing and new generation information technology industries show high recruitment activity and demand. In terms of education and specialization, there is high demand for computer science, mechanical engineering, electronic information, materials science, and electrical engineering for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral positions, with a focus on young talent with 3-5 years of work experience, which accounts for more than a quarter of the demand. In strategic emerging industries, the demand for technical talent in artificial intelligence, new energy, and green low-carbon sectors is growing significantly, leading to increased demand for project management and technical management roles. The rapid development of AI technology has had a profound impact on the job market, with a sharp increase in demand for positions related to large model product development and application, while demand for positions easily replaced by AI, such as visual interaction design and new media e-commerce operations, has declined.

Flexible Employment Gaining Recognition

Flexible employment is increasingly recognized as a viable employment option. 'Delivery riders' have absorbed a significant amount of labor. The age structure of riders shows a trend of 'expansion at both ends, contraction in the middle,' with an increase in riders aged 18 to 24. Approximately half of the riders come from the manufacturing and service sectors. There is a noticeable trend towards local employment. Flexible employment is gradually shedding its traditional image of instability, with its inherent flexibility, freedom, and balance being positively recognized, making it a widely accepted form of employment. Therefore, evaluating the quality of employment for the flexible workforce should adopt a new perspective, considering factors beyond traditional full-time employment stability, such as social security, flexibility, income diversity, life balance, and personal development, focusing on the actual significance of the work to the workers themselves.

University Graduates' Employment Needs Attention

Currently, it is the graduation season for university students. In the second quarter of 2024, the job seeker ratio for university graduates has decreased both quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year. By industry, the sectors with the highest demand for university graduates in the second quarter of 2024 are professional services/consulting/accounting, internet/e-commerce, electronic technology/semiconductors, and electrical/power/water resources. The sectors with the highest supply are professional services/consulting/accounting, internet/e-commerce, real estate, computer software, and education/training. By city tier, third-tier cities have a relatively high job seeker ratio, followed by first and second-tier cities, with new first-tier cities having a relatively low ratio. By enterprise size and nature, private enterprises and joint-stock companies have higher job seeker ratios, followed by listed companies. In contrast, state-owned enterprises have intense employment competition and lower job seeker ratios.

Holidays Bring Employment Growth Points

Thanks to the May Day, Dragon Boat Festival holidays, and summer vacation, the holiday economy significantly boosted the employment market in the second quarter of 2024. The development of related service industries such as transportation, logistics, catering, wholesale and retail, and live product broadcasting drove job growth. Influenced by the 618 shopping festival and platform-supported entrepreneurial employment initiatives, the platform entrepreneurship vitality index increased significantly. New entrepreneurs performed well in the second quarter, with the income index rising significantly quarter-on-quarter. In terms of regional distribution, entrepreneurs in Guangdong, Hubei, Henan, Yunnan, and Zhejiang ranked high in vitality. The profile of entrepreneurs shows an increase in the proportion of senior entrepreneurs, with entrepreneurial fields covering jewelry, cultural artifacts, and green plants.