Emerging professions mirror new demands of Chinese people

CHANGSHA -- Since early autumn, livestreamer Yan Wan has been trying on thick winter coats for online shoppers. Viewers of her on internet platform Taobao Live could be as many as 50,000 a day.

"I can introduce all the selling points of a piece of clothing in less than a minute," she said.

The 20-year-old working in Zhuzhou, Central China's Hunan province, is a popular online marketer, a new profession capitalizing on the interactivity of the internet in promoting products.

"Online customers can learn details about the products in my livestreaming shows while enjoying more favorable prices," said Yan, who received training from her company on clothing design, marketing skills and other professional knowledge before becoming a livestreamer.

In a bid to upgrade the traditional wholesale markets, Hunan Tianze Huali E-Commerce Co Ltd started to train livestreamers last December. Yan was among the first batch of applicants.

"All those we trained are full-time marketers," said Li Tianyun, the company's deputy general manager.

"We sign long-term contracts to guarantee fixed incomes for the livestreamers who, after the expiration of the contracts, can train new online marketers, open online clothing stores and even set up e-commerce platforms independently," Li said.

In recent years, new professions like online marketers have sprouted up in China, bolstered by the continuous development of new modes of the economy. Since April last year, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has released three batches of 38 new occupations.

Among them, ability appraisers for the elderly have filled a gap in the market for elderly care.

Industry statistics show China now needs about 1.5 million ability appraisers of the elderly, but the number of people working in the job is less than 100,000 currently.

Tan Hui, who has more than 10 years of experience as a geriatric doctor, is now an ability appraiser of the elderly in Zhicheng Yinxin Nursing Home in Zhuzhou.

By evaluating residents' cognitive ability, mental state, perception and communication ability, and social participation ability, Tan issues assessment reports to help determine how much care they require.

Based on the results of the overall assessment, the elderly residents will be initially divided into different grades, and then assigned to the corresponding areas.

"As a new profession, ability appraisers for the elderly could pave the way for the improvement of senior care services," Tan said.