Hua, have you heard? Nowadays quite a few undergraduates are going back to vocational colleges to study practical skills for jobs. This news is really surprising.

Yes, a colleague just discussed this with me the other day. Actually, it’s hard even for undergraduates to find jobs now. Companies prefer people with practical skills. For example, at Zhengzhou Railway Vocational College, 90% of graduates enter the railway system, with stable and respectable jobs.

But some netizens feel it’s ironic that someone who scored 600 on the college entrance exam ends up with a vocational diploma. They even doubt whether degrees are becoming ‘worthless.’ Do you think this reverse trend in education affects fairness?

I think it reflects changes in market demand. What society needs are talents with both ‘skills + knowledge,’ not people who only know how to take exams. As the saying goes, ‘With a skill in hand, you’ll never worry about food.’

Also, undergraduate courses are sometimes too theoretical and can’t keep up with industry needs. On the other hand, vocational schools are closely linked to market demand. Popular majors like rail transit and new energy have very high employment rates.

Exactly. Many of my students now actually envy vocational school students, thinking they have an easier time finding good jobs. As long as you keep improving yourself, regardless of degree level, you can achieve good development.

It seems that ‘degree-only thinking’ no longer works. Society now values practical skills and experience more. We must remind kids not to focus only on diplomas—real ability is what matters.