abstract: 'Purpose - The paper aims to discuss whether the younger generation of

  China''s rural labor force is prepared, in terms of education level or

  labor quality, for the future labor markets under China''s industrial

  upgrading.

  Design/methodology/approach - Using nationally representative survey

  data, the paper gives detailed discussions on the young rural laborers''

  education attainments, and their off-farm employment status including

  job patterns, working hours, and hourly wage rates. The relationship

  between education and employment status is analyzed and tested. Through

  these discussions, an employment challenge is revealed, and some policy

  implications are made.

  Findings - This paper finds that China''s young rural laborers are

  generally poorly educated and mainly unskilled. They work long hours and

  are low paid. While they lack the labor quality that will be required to

  meet the industrial upgrading, an employment challenge may face them in

  the near future. This paper also finds a strong link between education

  levels and employment status for the young labor force, which implies

  the possible effect of policies such as improving rural education.

  Originality/value - Based on a solid foundation of a national rural

  household survey, this paper updates the understanding of the education

  and employment situations of the young rural labor force in contemporary

  China. The concern about the employment challenges raised in the paper

  is related to the future of China''s rural labor transition and the whole

  economy.'
affiliation: 'Li, XF (Corresponding Author), Chinese Acad Sci, Ctr Chinese Agr Policy,
  Inst Geog Sci \& Nat Resources Res, Beijing, Peoples R China.

  Li, Xiaofei; Liu, Chengfang; Luo, Renfu; Zhang, Linxiu, Chinese Acad Sci, Ctr Chinese
  Agr Policy, Inst Geog Sci \& Nat Resources Res, Beijing, Peoples R China.

  Rozelle, Scott, Stanford Univ, Freeman Spogli Inst Int Studies, Stanford, CA 94305
  USA.'
author: Li, Xiaofei and Liu, Chengfang and Luo, Renfu and Zhang, Linxiu and Rozelle,
  Scott
author-email: lixf.07s@igsnrr.ac.cn
author_list:
- family: Li
  given: Xiaofei
- family: Liu
  given: Chengfang
- family: Luo
  given: Renfu
- family: Zhang
  given: Linxiu
- family: Rozelle
  given: Scott
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1108/17561371011044298
eissn: 1756-1388
files: []
issn: 1756-137X
journal: CHINA AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIC REVIEW
keywords: Labour market; Young adults; Rural areas; Education; Farms; China
keywords-plus: INEQUALITY; MIGRATION; EDUCATION; PATTERNS; MARKETS; GROWTH
language: English
number: 2, SI
number-of-cited-references: '29'
pages: 185-199
papis_id: 8ed58468a4d2c4e8eea5b5c237973c0d
ref: Li2010challengesfacing
researcherid-numbers: 'ZHANG, LIN/GYD-9123-2022

  Li, xiaofei/GXF-7187-2022

  Zhang, Lin/HZH-4842-2023'
times-cited: '13'
title: The challenges facing young workers during rural labor transition
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000281034500004
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '22'
volume: '2'
web-of-science-categories: Agricultural Economics \& Policy; Economics
year: '2010'