Be innovative, Li tells graduates (3)

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In 2012, the region's GDP increased by 12.5 percent year-on-year, much faster than in the eastern and central parts of the country.

To help graduates find jobs, the State Council has called for the implementation of existing policies favorable to graduates' employment.

The central government has also encouraged graduates to turn toward self-employment and start their own businesses, promising to provide training subsidies, small loans, tax breaks and other incentives.

However, setting up businesses might not be easy. "Starting up a company is challenging for fresh graduates as they have no social experience or capital," said Chen Yu, deputy director of China Association of Employment Promotion.

Entrepreneurs on average are between 35 and 44 years old when they launch their companies, according to a report on entrepreneurship released by the management committee of Zhongguancun, China's Silicon Valley. It said lack of access to capital and experience are strong barriers for young entrepreneurs.

"When jobs are unavailable, new graduates may have to create opportunities by themselves," Chen said. "But this is difficult for many because it is not what they have been trained to do."

He said traditional education teaches students how to perform a job that already exists, but fails to encourage broad and creative thinking.

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