It has become a popular trend that a growing number of Chinese college graduates prefer challenging jobs to steady-for-life jobs.

A graduate surnamed Zhang from the Shanxi University recently rejected the offer of a lifelong job usually called an "iron rice bowl" at a government department in north China's Shanxi Province. Instead, he chose a post at a non-governmental enterprise.

"I gave prime consideration to the opportunity to make full use of my advantages and tap my individual value. It is a secure job to work at government departments. However, I would rather take a challenging job," Zhang said.

Like Xiao Zhang, more and more Chinese university and college graduates demonstrate much less preference over working in government agencies or public educational, scientific and research institutions. Instead, they are more attracted to jobs which can give full play of their personal strengths.

Statistics of the Shanxi Provincial Educational Department show12,822 college graduates in Shanxi signed contracts with local work units in 2004. Only 1,440 people, or 11.2 percent of the total number, chose to work in government departments.

Nationally, 48 percent of the 2.8 million graduates preferred to work at non-governmental enterprises and an additional 12 percent sought a position in trades with great flexibility.

The alteration indicated that the concept of employment of college students has experienced a great change which benefits notonly the rational readjustment of employment structure but also the development of both graduates and work units, said an official of the Shanxi Provincial Educational Department.

Government departments and public institutions have been a perfect choice for the majority of college graduates due to handsome income and steady-for-life position. Among all white-collar jobs, central government departments are the most attractive ones.

In recent years, applicants for public servants constantly set new records. In some universities, more than half of graduates have filed applications, but only a few of them succeeded. Many graduating students felt the pressure of getting jobs in the wake of increased recruitment by institutes of higher learning and a cut in the number of staffs at government institutions.

Is that the true picture? Are job opportunities really so inadequate?

Facts proved non-state economic sectors have created many new jobs in the form of trans-regional labor flow. The Ministry of Education encourages college graduates to work at grassroots units, non-state sectors or in western part of the country.

It is a welcome trend that many college graduates have altered their reluctance in working small and medium-sized industrial enterprises and gained great confidence in building their own businesses. A growing number of graduates have got jobs in the non-state sector or foreign-funded enterprises.

New attitude towards employment has created bigger access to employment. Statistics show 73 percent of college graduates found jobs last year, 3 percent more than the number employed in 2003, though the number of graduates climbed by 680,000 that year.

An official in charge of human resources in a non-governmental enterprise said though public institutions attract graduates with a stable job and handsome income, they have a stiff system and some deficiencies which may disappoint some graduates. He predicted enterprises will win favor of more college graduates with an improved social security system and flexible work environment.

Editor: Catherine