Ma Huaide, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, is interviewed ahead of the second plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 7, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

University graduates are encouraged to find employment where the country and the people need them the most and start from the most fundamental jobs, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee said on Tuesday.

Ma Huaide, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and president of China University of Political Science and Law, said the country is expected to have 11.58 million new college graduates this year, up by 820,000 from last year.

The record number of college graduates has made their employment more challenging, and universities are faced with heavier tasks, he said.

The employment of university students is a major concern for them, their family, and the development and future of the country, Ma said.

The Party and the government pay great attention to their employment and have issued a series of supporting policies, and universities have also made it the top priority, he said.

In the past 10 years, many graduates from the university have found jobs in government institutions, enterprises, law firms and arbitration institutions, he said.

Among the graduates, more than 3,300 of them have worked in Western regions, border areas and served people at grassroots level posts, he said.

Young people in the new era have firm belief to go where the country needs them the most and make contributions to the development of the country, Ma said.

It is important for university graduates to find suitable jobs, and they should start from the most basic jobs, which will benefit them in the long time, he added.

Su Hua, a member of the CPPCC National Committee, and vice president of China Vocational Education Association, said vocational education is closely associated with socioeconomic development and of great importance to boost employment and entrepreneurship and improving people's happiness.

He suggested increasing the scale of vocational education offering bachelor's degrees, so that vocational school students can also pursue higher education and remove the hurdle of academic degree requirement for them to find jobs.

In this way, vocational education will nurture talent with practical skills and diploma, and vocational school graduates will enjoy different opportunities for development and a bright future, he added.