What Xifeng has done to stabilize employment and ensure people's welfare

Since 2020, the Xifeng government has been responding to the country's policy of stabilizing employment and ensuring people's welfare. It has been doing major work in the following four areas:

Employment-related public services

The official website of the Xifeng government provides real-time updates about the positions on offer and skills required by 43 companies. Qualified applicants can reach out to the company using the contact information on the website.

News updates are just one way that the Xifeng government helps job seekers. Job fairs, WeChat groups, official WeChat accounts, LED screens and brochures are other channels used to engage with job applicants.

A total of 7,925 new jobs were added during 2020, exceeding the annual job target by 3 percent. Meanwhile, the registered unemployment rate was controlled at under 5 percent.

Support for businesses in need

Four trains, headed for Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Fujian province and Zhejiang province respectively, were arranged by the Xifeng government during February 2020, to ensure that local out-of-town workers could resume their work in a timely and orderly manner.

"I have always been working outside. But this year I have been kept at home all the time. The special line that is sending me back to work is reassuring," said Li Ying, a migrant worker on the train.

Companies that couldn't find enough workers also received assistance from the government. Calculating the number of native, laid-off migrant workers and the specific needs of enterprises, the county's bureau of human resources and social security set up a public service platform which helped a total of 1,091 migrant workers find jobs.

The government also eased the burden on its people by intensifying unemployment insurance and employment subsidies. So far, 1,873 impoverished people have received 1.06 million yuan ($195,420) for employment or business start-ups.

Public-service posts

For people who for some reason cannot work and cannot sustain their family, the Xifeng government arranged 500 public-service posts such as cleaners and road workers.

"This work gives me income and allows me to take care of my family," said Zeng Zhongying from Dashuijing village, Liuchang town. Her husband is now unable to walk because of a car accident. Both her little girl and elderly mother are not in a position to be employed.

Vocational training programs

The knitting classes in Tuanyuan community offer one-on-one training to villagers to make sure that everyone in the class can master this skill.

In fact, classes instructing people in construction, travel, farming, catering, trading, and transport are all flourishing in this small county. Thanks to the dedicated effort of the county's bureau of employment, many people are able to sustain themselves using skills they acquired during such training programs.