China’s job market crisis: PhD and Oxford grad forced into food delivery after failing to find work

Once hailed as a prodigy for his near-perfect gaokao score, Ding Yuanzhao, a 39-year-old Oxford University graduate with a PhD, now crisscrosses the streets of Beijing on a scooter, delivering food orders. His stark career pivot — from elite universities to gig work — has ignited a debate online about whether even the highest academic credentials can guarantee stable employment in today’s unforgiving job markets.

Ding had achieved an almost perfect score on China’s rigorous gaokao (university entrance exam) in 2004, earning him a spot at Tsinghua University for his bachelor’s in chemistry. He then pursued a master’s degree in energy engineering from Peking University, a PhD in biology from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, and another master’s in biodiversity from Oxford in Britain, as per a South China Morning Post report.

Despite his impressive academic background, Ding’s postdoctoral research contract at the National University of Singapore (NUS) ended last March. After sending out numerous résumés and attending over 10 interviews, he was unable to secure suitable employment.

Consequently, he registered as a food delivery worker in Singapore, earning approximately Rs 47,000 weekly by working 10 hours a day. “It is a stable job. I can support my family with this income. If you work hard, you can earn a decent living. It’s not a bad job,” Ding shared on social media, also noting the added benefit of getting a workout while delivering. He also revealed that he could not become a private tutor because he felt shy to approach clients, South China Morning Post reported.

Months later, Ding returned to China and is now a food delivery worker for Meituan in Beijing. His story highlights the severe pressure on China’s job market, where the youth unemployment rate (ages 16-24, excluding students) stood at 14.9 percent in May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.