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Experts call for occupational training law to help job seekers

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-07-29 11:38

For many college students, landing a summer internship is almost as difficult as finding a permanent job because few employers are interested in training people who have no experience.

"Many companies don't like hiring interns because they believe the interns can barely work and can sometimes create trouble," said Chen Bulei, a researcher of labor issues at Renmin University of China.

"The employers are also worried that the interns will leak their business secrets."

But with all college students in China required to gain work experience during summer vacations, the pressure is on.

Knowing how difficult it can be to find internships, many students have been looking for places since the start of their freshman year.

And many who do land coveted internships end up disappointed after employers block them from accessing real business operations and, as such, offer the interns few chances to learn from their experience, the Legal Daily reported yesterday.

"The employers would like to hire college graduates with work experience, but they are not willing to provide any internship opportunities," said labor law expert Jiang Ying.

"It is a vicious circle and, eventually, it will harm employers."

A law compelling employers to provide occupational training to college students and protecting the rights of students during their internships would solve many of the problems, Jiang said.

The government should also offer incentives to employers who do provide internships, she added.

About the broadcaster:

Brendan joined The China Daily in 2007 as a language polisher in the Language Tips Department, where he writes a regular column for Chinese English Language learners, reads audio news for listeners and anchors the weekly video news in addition to assisting with on location stories. Elsewhere he writes Op’Ed pieces with a China focus that feature in the Daily’s Website opinion section.

He received his B.A. and Post Grad Dip from Curtin University in 1997 and his Masters in Community Development and Management from Charles Darwin University in 2003. He has taught in Japan, England, Australia and most recently China. His articles have featured in the Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times, The Asia News Network and in-flight magazines.