Battle to Break out for Talent

With employers and fresh graduates lining up at each end of the field, the Ministry of Education has further dramatized the war for the 2001 graduate crop by delaying firing the starting gun until late November.

The ministry has banned early recruitment this year in an attempt to reduce any negative impact on students' and teachers' normal study and work.

The ban has certainly achieved some good academic results.

But once the ban had expired the policy backfired, with numerous companies and other entities furiously competing to get into higher education institutions, particularly the prestigious universities - turning many formerly serene campuses into boiling enrolment markets.

The eagerness of enterprises and other entities to fill their boots with fresh talent is understandable.

As the era of the knowledge-based economy approaches, it is becoming more and more apparent to companies and other groups that they cannot afford to miss any chances to fish from the talent pool.

Graduates are always the top choice for employers because of their abilities, potential and comparative cheapness.

But despite the State's unremitting efforts to expand the the size of college enrollment, the graduate supply still falls far short of the demands for economic growth.

In the light of the country's forthcoming entry into the World Trade Organization and signs of strong economic recovery, the latest war for the cream of next year's graduate crop can be interpreted as a widely shared confidence in growth.

Ensuring that most graduates find the best positions for tapping their potential will benefit everybody.

But the short-term nature of recruitment drives at various campuses throws graduates into confusion, either because they cannot attend them all, or time is too short to make important decisions.

After pulling the starting gun trigger, the government could still do more to optimize the distribution of the country's most precious resources.



Source: chinadaily.com.cn


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