The Transition from Education to Work: The Job-Hunting Experiences of University Graduates in Shanghai, China

This research studies the transition experiences of university graduates in China, as they move from the university to the world of work. In the thesis I record the ambitions and dreams of young graduates about their future and I examine their struggles and dilemmas in their transition from university to work. I investigate social factors such as class background, the Chinese household registration (hukou) system, gender, network connections (guanxi) and government policies that affect graduates' transition experiences. My research shows that although higher education does produce social mobility, it also reproduces systematic inequalities.