"When I chose my major after high school, I could not have known how artificial intelligence would take away jobs for Japanese translators," Ms Xiao, 21, told The Straits Times, adding that lukewarm ties between China and Japan do not help.
To improve her employability, she has decided to apply for a master's course in logistics. Since February, she has been studying every night to prepare for the national postgraduate entry examination in December.
In China, more university graduates are applying for further studies instead of looking for work amid a dismal job market.
Some 4.38 million students took the postgraduate entry exams for 2024, which is 212 times the number in 2014. The increase has outpaced the growth in fresh graduates over the same period.
The number of students taking postgraduate courses in China has doubled from about 611,380 in 2013 to 1.3 million in 2023, according to data released by the Education Ministry in March.
Mr Yao Wei, 24, had butterflies in his stomach in March 2023 when he flew from his native Guangdong province to interview for a master's programme in Beijing, which was taking in only three students from the whole of China.
He felt stressed as he was two months away from graduation and had no job lined up yet.
This was his only shot to get into a master's course as the Chinese are allowed to apply for only one postgraduate programme in China a year.
This story is from the July 19, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 19, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
M2M to reunite for Singapore concert
It has been 22 years since they went away, but Norwegian pop duo M2M are back and coming to Singapore.
Industry sources say the author also wrote BTS memoir
Hybe's document on K-pop industry trends
Paddington Bear's 'high jinks' are back in third movie
LONDON - Paddington is back and he has lost none of his \"charm\" and \"high jinks\", according to English actor Hugh Bonneville, who again guides the trouble-prone bear through the third film in the hit series that saw its premiere on Nov 3.
Quincy Jones left indelible imprints on jazz, pop and hip-hop
LOS ANGELES - Quincy Jones, a major influence on American music in his work with artists ranging from Count Basie to Frank Sinatra and who then reshaped pop music by collaborating with Michael Jackson, died on Nov 3 at the age of 91.
Young Chinese pianist brings wealth of emotion
There are so many young Chinese pianists plying their art these days that it is easy to reduce them to Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, Li Yundi and the rest.
White faces, open mouths
Avant-garde Japanese dance butoh finds foothold in Singapore
Seeking sleep at Hoshinoya Tokyo
TOKYO In December 2023, I check into Hoshinoya Tokyo for a sleep retreat.
Explore the bustling Ginza and Marunouchi districts in Tokyo
Ginza, located near Tokyo Station, is one of the city's busiest high-end shopping districts.
Pastoral and scenic views at JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa
JEJU - The island bursts with juicy tangerines, and is where women well into their 80s free dive for seafood against a backdrop of dormant volcanoes and tea estates.
Connecting with the city's past at The Murray Hong Kong
Although brand-new hotels pop up all the time, restored heritage buildings-turned-hotels have an allure of their own.
