On Friday Hangzhou in east China began to distribute more than 100 million yuan (US$14.6 million) in coupons to help financially-stricken students or workers pay for academic education or vocational training in an effort to better prepare them for competition in the tightening job market.

Potential beneficiaries for coupons in the scenic city of Zhejiang Province include fresh graduates from universities in Hangzhou, local students in Hangzhou universities and school-age children of migrant workers. Each coupon has a face value of 100 yuan and a receiver may get 300-2,000 yuan.

A senior Hangzhou official explained that the objective for the coupon plan was to help students and workers improve their academic credentials and professional skills to better compete in the fierce job market.

“We are handing out coupons with the hope to subsidize college education for the financially-disadvantaged students, who can use the coupons to pay part of their tuition. Meanwhile, we want to help workers in Hangzhou boost their educational levels or vocational skills,” said Sun Zhenzhou, deputy secretary-general of Hangzhou city government in the provincial capital.

About 100,000 fresh graduates in 47 universities are entitled to five coupons, or 500 yuan, per person. College students from low income families in Hangzhou will receive 2,000 yuan and children of migrant workers will get 300 yuan, both of which can only be used to pay tuition.

Permanent urban residents who take vocational training courses and manage to get certificates can receive 500 yuan. However, taking the “dual-certificate system” courses for both professional credentials and academic certificates means 1,200 yuan each. Residents with no high school education can also have 1,700 yuan if they apply for such training.

The education coupons carry real names of receivers and are instructed to be used in designated educational institutions.

The first 114 institutions designated for academic education included the Hangzhou Normal University and the first 72 institutions for vocational training included the Zhejiang Training Center for Employment. Courses are provided in 86 kinds of positions, including lathe men, electricians and software programmers.

The coupons are valid from April 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2009)