Young people in Guangzhou, capital city of Guangdong Province want to work or continue to work as civil servants, a survey has found.

It seems decent salaries and stable working conditions are the main attractions.

According to 1,035 residents interviewed by the Guangzhou Urban Survey and Research Centre, as many as 48 per cent of young people in the city want to work or continue working in government departments.

The young interviewees made up 70 per cent of the total number of people spoken to, with their ages ranging from 20 to 40.

And 23 per cent of the young like being teachers or want to become teachers, 17 per cent like IT jobs and 6 per cent chose finance.

Less than 7 per cent preferred self-employment.

The survey also showed that 60 per cent of civil servants interviewed were satisfied with work and life, the highest rate in recent years in Guangzhou.

An official from the Guangzhou Urban Survey and Research Centre attributed young people's interest in civil servants to the good salaries and stable working conditions.

In addition, he said yesterday, most civil servants' salaries have been raised by 8 per cent in the city this year, making such jobs even more attractive.

The average monthly salary for civil servants in Guangzhou was 3,600 yuan (US$450) by the end of last year, according to official statistics.

"Meanwhile, the high unemployment rate and fierce competition in many industries have encouraged more young people to work in government departments," said the official, who declined to be named.

Wang Yuhong, a new graduate from Guangzhou-based Jinan University, said civil servants have many good opportunities.

In addition to promotion, rising salaries and welfare benefits, civil servants have the chance of being sponsored by the local government to further their studies abroad, Wang told China Daily yesterday.

Wang became a civil servant in Guangzhou after she passed strict recruitment examinations and beat many other candidates earlier this year.

"Many of my classmates wanted to become civil servants," Wang added.

(China Daily September 6, 2006)