Entrepreneurship

In July, Zhao Heng graduated from the School of Journalism and Communication of Shanghai International Studies University. But instead of looking for a job at a corporation or pursuing further education, he decided to become an entrepreneur and start his own tutoring center.

He found his passion for teaching while working as a part-time tutor for high school students during his college years. He taught over 60 students, and received satisfying results with students' grades improving significantly.

Zhao used to work for large tutoring institutions, but he realized he would prefer to work for himself, since it would enable him to adopt more flexible and innovative teaching methods that work better for his students.

Four months before graduation, Zhao started preparation for launching his tutoring center in Shanghai, including renting and renovating offices, applying for industrial and commercial registration and hiring tutors, among other things.

Unfortunately, his entrepreneurship was affected by the epidemic, with construction work for his tutoring site having to be suspended. He had been planning to offer online tutoring before the epidemic was brought under control.

"We encourage graduates to explore more channels of employment, given this year's complicated employment situation posed by the epidemic and the economy," said Cao Shujing, head of the Career Service Center of Shanghai International Studies University.

Currently, local authorities nationwide have introduced policies to support college graduates who want to start their own business after graduation.

In Xiongan New Area in Hebei Province, north China, graduates can apply for a guaranteed loan of up to 200,000 yuan ($28,500), while entrepreneurs who want to jointly start a business can apply for a guaranteed loan of up to 1.3 million yuan ($185,600).

In June, Dalian Talent Service Center in Dalian, Liaoning Province in northeast China, released a brochure on supporting college graduates who want to be entrepreneurs. It stated that the local government can provide 3,000 yuan ($428) per year for up to two years as a rent subsidy for those who get a business license and rent a physical place for business operation.

Beginning this year, college graduates in Beijing who turn to flexible employment right after graduation can apply for flexible employment social security subsidies.

"The government plans to provide social security subsidies for graduates choosing flexible employment, as well as pension and medical protection. This is to relieve future worries and allow everyone to feel free to explore more ways of employment or start a new business in order to realize their ideals and values," Xu Xi, head of the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, told news portal People.cn.

However, Yang Fang, head of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education at Central South University, said that college graduates should be prepared for constantly emerging challenges before they choose to start their own business.

"Entrepreneurship faces great uncertainty," she said, noting that it is normal for entrepreneurs to find it difficult to start a business, and suggested that graduates should conduct thorough market research before putting their ideas into practice, so that they can have better chance in surviving tough competition.