In response to a potential drop in job openings caused by the novel coronavirus(COVID-19) outbreak, the Education, Science, Health and Sports Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference held a seminar on March 18 to discuss how to help college students graduating this year find a job or start a business. 

Zhu Zhiwen, vice-chairman of the Education, Science, Health and Sports Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and former vice-minister of education, said measures must be taken to make sure that college students graduate as planned and find a job as quickly as possible. 

Zhu suggested that the overseas investment projects under the Belt and Road Initiative should provide more job opportunities for college graduates. Public projects and key investment projects undertaken by the State may also try to take in more college graduates. 

Zhang Jingze, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and Party secretary of Minzu University of China, suggested that employers design special recruitment programs for college graduates belonging to China's ethnic groups other than Han. 

President of the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Zhang Zhengwen, a member of the CPPCC National Committee, said more jobs could be created in our communities, which have been playing a vital role in stemming the spread of the coronavirus. Universities and colleges should also encourage students to join the army upon graduation. 

Zhang's opinion was echoed by Zhang Xue, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and former deputy head of education of the Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee, who suggested that comprehensive universities could enroll more students in their social work major and central and local governments might provide financial support for community work programs designed for college graduates.   

Sun Baoguo, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and president of Beijing Technology and Business University, said graduate schools in different regions of China will enroll 189,000 more students this year. But Beijing-based colleges and universities are an exception and are maintaining their usual growth rate of enrollment numbers. Sun suggested that Beijing-based graduate schools enroll more students this year. 

Cheng Jianping, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and Party secretary of Beijing Normal University, suggested that financial support and employment guidance be provided to students from financially challenged families, especially those that have been officially registered as poor households. Students graduating this year who have been driven into financial difficulties by the coronavirus outbreak should also be supported. 

Wu Guozhen, vice-chairman of the Education, Science, Health and Sports Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and professor of physics at Tsinghua University, suggested that information about how many graduates are needed in the public health sector be disseminated among the public. This may help change the mind of many parents, who in turn may encourage their children to pursue a career in public health or further their studies in this field. 

Guan Peijun, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and vice-president of the China Association of Higher Education, suggested that more attention be paid to online teachers, who have been playing a pivotal role since the coronavirus outbreak started. There is a great demand for online teachers, who in the past have received less attention than they deserve.