Mobile app gives interns more work opportunities

A paid internship and training program for Taiwan residents aged between 18 and 45 kicked off in August in Pingtan, an island county in Fujian province, attracting 16 participants.

The program, launched by a mobile phone-based service app, provides internships in new media operations, visual design, interaction design, user interface design and software development, and lasts from 30 days to three months each time. Participants can live in free apartments and receive subsidies and salaries ranging from 2,400 yuan ($355) to 9,200 yuan.

"I will cherish this opportunity and learn about operation modes in the internet industry on the Chinese mainland," said an intern from Hsinchu, northern Taiwan. "Before I came to Pingtan, I had great interest and curiosity about this emerging island by browsing its news on the app everyday," the intern added.

The program is the latest attempt the mobile phone app has made to help Taiwan residents find jobs in the mainland during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The app, which started trial operation in 2017 in Pingtan, has been serving as "a bridge across the Taiwan Straits based on internet plus technologies", said Liu Xiangdong, chairman of a Fujian information technology company, developer of the app.

"It also aims to reduce the impact of the pandemic on cross-Straits communication and exchanges, and help more Taiwan compatriots come to the mainland to share development opportunities," Liu added.

The app can also help companies save on recruitment expenses, he said.

In addition to making it easier for Taiwan residents to find jobs, the app also provides upgraded services to Taiwan entrepreneurs in the mainland. For example, it can help them deal with the annual inspection of business licenses, which is very helpful for those who cannot return to Pingtan to handle the procedures on time due to the pandemic.

Cross-Straits business communication has also boosted thanks to the app. On July 31, a cooperation signing ceremony was held between a Fujian chamber of commerce for cross-Straits companies exchanges and a Taiwan association for science, technology and human development via a video conference on the app.

About 60 people attended the online ceremony in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian and in Hualien county, Taiwan. The two sides reached cooperation intentions in terms of culture and education, talents and technologies, entrepreneurship and employment, and personnel exchanges.

The app will continue to improve existing functions and plans to host regular internship and training activities, and build a bulletin board system forum. The coverage of its services will be extended from Pingtan to the entire province in the future, local officials said.