Finding a job is hard enough for China’s 7 million college graduates, and it’s especially so for its art students. In an age of commerce and fast economic change, there are simply fewer employers in sight despite a rising number of art related schools. Wu Haojun takes a look at just how tough the job market is for Beijing’s Peking Opera students and where the opportunities lie.
In an era of modern entertainment, is there still a place for traditional arts and an even more pressing question: what about the job prospects for those who dedicated their lives to studying the art form.
Even though the students here today are among the elite of the elite in their field.. the pressure can still get the best of them.
For students of various art disciplines, finding work is now tougher than ever. It’s estimated that only 50% of students who majored in art-related fields, find jobs shortly after they graduate, and even less, 20% to be exact, get to apply what they learned to their profession.
In such a competitive market, employers get to be a bit pickier than usual.
But not all is doom and gloom for the country’s art talents, at least outside the mega cities.Local theater groups from across China have come to the capital city in hopes of luring the best talent. Yet despite the tough job market, many are unwilling to leave the big cities.
Many students here cite better career development in the big cities as one of the top reasons for staying, and that reflects a broad sentiment among students of other majors as well. Meanwhile, some experts are advising that if the students look carefully enough, small places may offer big opportunities.