'Youth Station' program a boost for job seekers

Xiao Liu, a graduate from Guangdong Province, was among the first batch of beneficiaries of the city's "Youth Station" initiative.

The public welfare service program, launched by the Shanghai Committee of the Communist Youth League of China on Monday, aims to address the needs of young people coming to Shanghai to look for work.

People can find information and apply via the Shanghai 12355 WeChat account. Expat graduates can also apply.

With approved application, people can have free accommodation at a youth station for up to three days at a time, with a total of no more than 15 days a year.

Xiao came to the city for an interview at a technology company in Baoshan District.

"As a newcomer, I happened to hear about the 'youth station' program. After uploading relevant materials and submitted an application to stay, it was approved very quickly," she said. "It makes me feel Shanghai's friendliness to graduates like me."

There are 20 such stations in the district, distributed around five industrial parks covering biomedicine, robotics and new materials.

For young people who may travel from city to city for a job, the service is expected to help out-of-town job seekers save costs and help Shanghai attract more talent.

Youth stations boast convenient transport links and a friendly environment for young people, with furniture, air conditioning, and other facilities in rooms.

The city has around 70 youth stations at present.