Jobs of Tomorrow Emerging new professions give job seekers more opportunities
Tang Yi hadn’t planned to celebrate his birthday this year. The deliveryman was rushing around Beijing ensuring his customers received their online orders when COVID-19 epidemic restrictions were in place. There was no time to do anything else.
However, on his special day in April, he picked up an order from a bakery and saw an attached note saying: “This cake is a special treat for whoever is the delivery person. Don’t forget to take time out to eat it.”
Tang did stop to eat the cake, marveling at the coincidence of picking up such a gift on his birthday and moved to tears that a customer would be so kind-hearted.
During the COVID-19 epidemic, China’s couriers and food delivery people played a crucial role. They ensured people got their medicines and meals. After the epidemic was brought under control in China, the public rewarded them for their essential service in various ways.
Tang’s profession has received increasing recognition and respect from the public in recent years. Based on the important role they played in society, at the beginning of 2020, this profession was officially recognized as one of 16 new occupations by several government departments, including the
Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Social recognition
Tang and his delivery peers in cities across the country felt gratified after knowing their profession has received official recognition.
“It gives me more confidence,” 28-yearold Ma Qianlong, a deliveryman for Meituan Dianping, China’s largest on-demand service platform, told Chinafrica. “It shows recognition of the government and public.”
Generally, having been officially recognized, the new professions would be given preferential policies to improve their
working environment, and vocational education and training courses for the new professions will also be improved, according to officials of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
Livestream host Li Jiaqi, known as China’s best lipstick seller, has benefited from his profession. On June 29, Li was granted permanent residency by the Shanghai Government, identifying him as a special talent, entitling him to faster approval for a hukou, or household registration.
Though the decades-long restrictive residence permit system nationwide set to be loosened, a hukou in large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai is still prized, as it is considered a passport to better social welfare services. However, with livestreaming showcasing its key role in reviving the sluggish retail sales during the COVID-19 epidemic, cities are competing with each other to attract livestreaming talent. Li is one of the people being awarded.
In July, livestreaming sales host was added to the official occupation list by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Social recognition is driving livestreaming hosting, making it an increasingly lucrative career choice. According to the 2019 report on livestreaming hosts published by social media platform Momo in January 2020, about 24.1 percent of professional livestreaming hosts made more than 10,000 yuan ($1,441) a month in 2019. The report also found that most hosts are confident about their career prospects, with 83.3 percent saying that they will stay as hosts for the coming two years.
Technology facilitated
Lush grasslands, golden wheat fields and winding rivers - Xiao Xing has seen it all through his “third eye” otherwise known as his drone.
“I love the thrill [of this work],” the fulltime drone operator said.
Back in 2012, Xiao was struggling with his coal business which saw a decline in demand. He was drawn to watching his friend operating a drone to fertilize rape flowers. It piqued his interest.
Xiao found that drones could be widely used for sowing, fertilizing and artificial pollination in agriculture. A drone operator has become a popular profession due to its creativity and relaxed workload, especially since the boom of Internet advertising, short videos and automated agriculture.
Xiao quit his job to devote himself to drones in 2016, after acquiring his drone license following a 15-day intensive training program. Now, the skill of flying drones brings him a decent income as the machine boosts the efficiency of sowing and crop-dusting.
“Drones are over 10 times more efficient than skilled manpower and they are cost-effective and environmentally friendly,” said Xiao. “I believe drone operator will be a job in high demand.”
Xiao’s occupation was included as one of the 13 new professions identified by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Bureau of Statistics in April 2019. The new professions are mainly in areas of advanced technology.
“Rapidly developing technology is creating new jobs while weeding out outdated professions,” said Chinese Academy of Social Sciences expert Zhang Yi.
The rising stars
Although not being officially recognized by the government, some new professions, such as online restaurant decorators, pet photographers, professional wardrobe organizers and manicurists, have sprung up alongside other burgeoning industries and digital transformations in China.
“They have emerged to cope with rising new personalized demand, and have helped to stabilize the job market and boosted the economy,” said a joint report by Meituan Dianping and Internet-based recruiting platform Zhaopin last year.
For example, Zhao Qianqing’s profession has made headlines recently in Chinese media for its high demand and substantial income.
Having been a software sales assistant, she transformed her obsession with tidiness into a business of wardrobe organizing in Beijing based on her strong interest in decluttering.
Zhao has so far managed to serve over 100 clients, most of whom are now her regulars. “A good professional wardrobe organizer should not only sort out the mess in the room, but also sort out interpersonal relationships,” she told Chinafrica.
Zhao said her job is to help clients rationally plan the relationship between space, objects, and people. “The purpose is to make every family member feel comfortable and build a harmonious family environment,” she said.
She charges her clients 990 yuan ($141) for every linear meter of the closet reorganized. So far, Zhao’s work has won good comments from her clients. Organizing wardrobes helps Zhao earn around 10,000 yuan ($1,441) a month.
In Zhao’s view, although fledgling professions like wardrobe organizers are not yet included in the scope of the country’s new professions, lacking clear industry standards and regulations, she hopes that the government can improve relevant policy guarantees to promote the healthy development of the new emerging professions going forward.
Since April 2019, three batches of 38 new professions have been recognized by the Chinese Government, constantly evolving traditional professional job categories. According to a survey conducted by China Youth Daily’s social survey center, 96.1 percent of 2,000 young respondents aged 18-35 said they would like to pursue a new career if they had the opportunity. CA