'College to Village' campaign helps create jobs in villages

NANCHANG - The "College to Village" campaign, which employs college graduates as civil servants in underdeveloped areas, has revitalized the rural economy and created employment opportunities, according to a report released Friday.

The report was delivered at the Forum on College Graduates-Turned Village Officials in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi province, east China, on Friday.

The College to Village campaign was launched in 2008 to encourage graduates to "change the appearance of villages and help farmers live good lives".

Over the past eight years, 23,000 graduates have assisted in the establishment of 17,000 ventures or projects and 4,293 cooperatives, creating 220,000 jobs. 

By the end of 2014, of the campaign's 180,000 participants 77,000 sat on village committees, the core governing body of village-level governments. 

The public service selection process looks favorably on candidates with grassroots-level experience, thus, this initiative gives participants an edge when applying for promotion. 

Graduates can quit the village program should they wish to follow a different path. 

By the end of 2014, 18,000 former-grassroots civil servants had become self-employed, 136,000 went on to other jobs, and 2,300 went on to study further education. 

The annual forum was sponsored by the China Association for the Promotion of Village Development, Farmers' Daily and China Agricultural University. This was the seventh time the report was released at the forum.