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Ready for their close-up: China’s live-streamers added to official jobs list

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Ready for their close-up: China’s live-streamers added to official jobs list

Live-streamers and test drivers of smart cars have been added to a list of officially recognised professions in China, a reflection of the country’s growing reliance on its digital sector and smart manufacturing as the economic engines of the future.

Other new professions on the list – 19 in all – include artificial intelligence (AI) system application specialist, planning and operations engineer for cultural products, administrator of intelligent manufacturing systems and bioengineering technician, according to a notice posted by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on Wednesday.

“The release of new occupations is of great significance for developing jobs, guiding vocational education and training, improving the standards of employees and promoting employment and entrepreneurship,” the ministry said.

The updated list arrives after a period of public consultation which began last year, and an initial announcement of the additions in May. The changes were made in response to guidelines from the State Council, China’s cabinet, on building a highly skilled workforce.

China has said that skilled professionals will account for no less than 30 per cent of the working population by 2025.

Recognising emerging professions can “enhance the sense of belonging felt by people in these positions in the workplace” and allow them to “enjoy related national policy benefits”, an unnamed human resources official was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency in May.

Localities like the southern province of Guangdong have already introduced subsidies for the housing and training of certain types of skilled workers.

02:50

China’s live-streaming industry heats up as millions of would-be hosts vie to break into the field

China’s live-streaming industry heats up as millions of would-be hosts vie to break into the field

According to a report by the China Netcasting Services Association, a unit under the National Radio and Television Administration, by the end of 2023 around 15 million people were working in live-streaming in some capacity.

Live-streaming is a profession which carries appeal for military veterans, migrant workers and students struggling to find employment, according to a February research report by Renmin University of China.

The authors found that live-streaming e-commerce – selling products online via live broadcast – has a significant impact on the job market, with every 100 million yuan increase in gross merchandise value creating 1,100 new jobs.

China’s jobless rate for the 16-24 age group, excluding students, dipped to 13.2 per cent in June from May’s 14.2 per cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The jobless rate for the 25-29 age group, also excluding students, was 6.4 per cent in June, marking a third consecutive month of decline. The rate for the 30-59 age group remained unchanged from May at 4 per cent.

However, the job market remains a source of pressure in some parts of China.

The employment sub-index of the official purchasing managers’ index edged up to 48.3 in July from 48.1 in June, but has now been in contraction for 18 consecutive months – indicative of persistent challenges for the overall labour market in the manufacturing sector, per a Wednesday research note by Nomura.

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