Guangdong expects job market stability this year

A resurgence in overseas orders and increased demand for workers in manufacturing and cross-border e-commerce will stabilize the job market in Guangdong province, companies and local authorities said during an employment fair.

"We have expanded the scale of worker reserves as the company's production increased by 10 percent to 20 percent in the past two months," said a human resources manager surnamed Wu of Zhuhai Gree Electric Enterprise Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of home appliances giant Gree Electric Appliances Inc.

The Zhuhai, Guangdong province-based company, which is mainly engaged in the production and sale of products such as electromagnetic wire and its components, plans to recruit more than 100 employees, Wu said.

At the job fair held in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, the company said it will offer equipment operators, mechanical and electrical technicians, with average salaries ranging from 5,500 ($763.95) to 7,000 yuan per month. The company said it will also provide free dormitories.

The job fair was held simultaneously in the cities of Guangzhou and Dongguan, a major manufacturing and trade base in Guangdong, on Sunday. The fair offered more than 70,000 positions from 1,300 companies.

In addition to Gree, more than 400 manufacturing enterprises that are mainly engaged in mechanical, electronic and food manufacturing participated in the job fair, with potential technical positions accounting for about 45 percent of total jobs, according to the organizers.

"We had a relatively sufficient number of product orders in the first quarter of this year and need to fill the labor gap," said Yin Meiying, a senior manager of Guangdong Xinbao Electrical Appliances Holdings Co Ltd.

The company, an A-share listed firm based in Foshan, Guangdong, plans to recruit 50-60 employees, covering positions related to technology and management, Yin said.

Guangzhou Mino Equipment Co Ltd, a high-tech enterprise focusing on providing intelligent manufacturing solutions for the automotive manufacturing industry, has developed a significant demand for technicians in overseas markets as its output value is expected to increase by around 50 percent this year.

"The scale of employment is expected to grow by 10-15 percent compared to last year, leading to a labor gap of 160 to 200 people," said Luo Lei, general manager of the production and manufacturing center of Mino.

With industrial upgrading and increased demand from overseas markets, the company will pay more attention to employees' problem-solving abilities and will have higher requirements for comprehensive qualities such as skill levels and proficiency in foreign languages, according to Luo.

Talented people in cross-border e-commerce were also highly sought-after at the job fair, with high demand for professionals with expertise in languages such as Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian and Japanese.

At the fair, Guangdong Soxi Intelligent Equipment Co Ltd sought professionals majoring in foreign languages, as its business has expanded to emerging markets in Vietnam, Thailand, Spain as well as other countries and regions.

Buoyed by the success of its job promotion in 2023, China will continue to channel its efforts and resources to stabilize the job market this year, and prioritize the employment of young people.

The government aims to create over 12 million new jobs in urban areas and keep the urban surveyed unemployment rate at around 5.5 percent this year, according to the Government Work Report delivered in early March.

In Guangdong, a major destination for labor resources, more than 90 percent of migrant workers have returned to work after the Spring Festival holiday, the local human resources authority said.

"The overall employment situation in Guangdong remains stable, as the economic growth of the province has driven a steady recovery in employment momentum and more workers have returned to their posts after the holiday," said Xie Zhongbao, deputy director of Guangdong's Human Resources and Social Security Department.

Enterprises in Guangdong have also developed confidence in production and operations and have been able to expand job opportunities, according to Xie.

A survey conducted by the human resources authorities found that 88.7 percent of enterprises in Guangdong expect their operations to remain stable or improve in 2024, while 70.3 percent of enterprises indicate that employment will remain stable or increase.

"Orders from key foreign trade enterprises in the province have also rebounded, laying a solid foundation for expanding job opportunities," Xie said.