Chinese electronics retailer Suning has signed an agreement with three universities in Beijing to be their designated entrepreneurial base to help university students find jobs and to improve their employment status.
The three universities involved are Beijing Forestry University, China University of Political Science and Law, and Beijing Normal University. Under the agreement, Suning will provide 600 internship positions and 30 entrepreneurial opportunities to students of these three universities in the next two years.
According to Fan Zhijun, the management and executive president for Suning North China, Suning will set up 30 areas of 10 square meters in each in its retail stores in Beijing and allow students to open their own businesses such as water bars or flower shops. These areas will be exempt from leasing fees in the first six months.
Fan said it has been seven years since Suning entered the Beijing market and the company has decided to support the employment of university graduates to celebrate this event.
Statistics from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences show that about 1.5 million university graduates had difficulties in finding jobs in 2008 and with new graduates this year employment demand would reach 6.1 million positions.
