STRUCTURAL CONTRADICTIONS AND GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY AT SHANGRAO NORMAL UNIVERSITY: A MIXED-METHODS ANALYSIS OF EMPLOYMENT TRENDS FROM 2019 TO 2023

Abstract

Graduate unemployment in China has reached structurally significant levels, with youth unemployment hitting 21.3% in June 2023 before national data reporting was suspended. This study examines structural contradictions in graduate employment at Shangrao Normal University (SRU), a regional institution in Jiangxi Province, across four dimensions: curriculum-market alignment, student competencies, regional economic mediators, and discipline-based disparities. A mixed-methods design combined a graduate survey (n=300), semi-structured interviews (n=20), and secondary analysis of SRU employment reports from 2019 to 2023. The overall employment rate at SRU declined from 92.3% to 86.5%, with employment satisfaction falling from 74.7% to 62.5% over the same period. Pilot study data (n=50) confirmed that university support is the strongest predictor of employment outcomes (r=0.52, p<0.01). Findings point to curriculum reform, stronger university-industry partnerships, and expanded career guidance as the most actionable interventions for regional universities facing structural employment challenges.