Blockchain jobs now officially recognized in China

COVID-19 has brought with it destruction and massive job losses, but for the blockchain community in China, it has opened new opportunities. The Chinese government now officially recognizes blockchain jobs in its bid to open up employment opportunities for its citizens.

The country’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) recently released a list of occupations that it now officially recognizes, and blockchain careers were top of the list.

In the May 11 announcement, MOHRSS recognized blockchain engineers, analysts and programmers as some of the emerging jobs that are attracting interest in China. The Ministry went on define the job descriptions for these posts, including the tasks they’re expected to perform. Blockchain engineers, for instance, design the blockchain platform architecture, develop the underlying technical solutions for such systems and handle the deployment and debugging in the application process of the blockchain networks.

A blockchain application operator, on the other hand, tests the functions and stability of blockchain systems, designs processes and models for system application, and is responsible “for the monitoring, operation and maintenance of system applications.”

Some of the other emerging jobs that the Ministry recognized include 3D printing equipment operators, online learning facilitators, nucleic acid examiners and information security testers.

The listing by the MOHRSS is part of the Chinese government’s efforts to rebuild the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic brought it to its knees. Millions of people have lost their jobs, with Bloomberg estimating that 8 million people lost their jobs in February alone. Some sectors such as the service industry, which employs 60% of the workforce, have recorded the highest number of job losses ever.

The recognition of blockchain jobs aligns with China’s blockchain push, with the Asian giant now a global leader in the industry. As CoinGeek reported recently, the People’s Bank of China is urging for accelerated adoption of blockchain in the fintech industry as part of the government’s digitalization plans.

In yet another nod to the technology, the Chengdu University of Information Technology has announced the launch of China’s first blockchain bachelor’s degree program. China’s demand for blockchain professionals remains high and this program is aiming at reducing the huge deficit in blockchain talent. According to a survey by one of China’s largest recruitment companies Zhaopin, entry level blockchain professionals earn $2,300 a month. This is more than twice the average salary in the country.