Shanghai made steady progress in employment, training, human resources, and public services in the first half of 2025, according to a report from the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

A total of 330,700 urban jobs were added, reaching 55.11 percent of the annual target. The average urban unemployment rate stood at 4.2 percent. To support startups, 1.502 billion yuan ($206.7 million) in entrepreneurship guarantee loans were issued.

The city established 461 community stations under its "15-minute employment service circle", reaching 92.2 percent of the annual goal. Employers posted 404,500 job openings, and over 5,000 individuals secured family-friendly positions.

Vocational training saw significant growth. Shanghai trained 35,900 high-skilled workers, completing 71.8 percent of the yearly target. Training focused on urgently needed roles in integrated circuits, biomedicine, artificial intelligence, housekeeping, and elderly care, accounting for 64.34 percent of all trainees. A total of 559,700 people joined subsidized vocational training programs, while 6,039 took part in the enterprise apprenticeship program. Additionally, 49 professionals were newly appointed as chief or senior technicians.

Two new occupations and 16 specialized skill programs were launched through the National Public Employment Service Regional Center (Shanghai). The first batch of 36 courses across 12 categories attracted over 1,100 trainees.

The WorldSkills Museum welcomed 207,000 visitors and hosted 236 youth workshops. The second Vocational Skill Competition of Shanghai drew 1,367 contestants, awarding 114 golds, 114 silvers, and 95 bronzes.

Human resources service providers above the designated size reported an 8 percent year-on-year revenue increase, reaching 103.7 billion yuan. Public institutions offered 2,565 positions in their annual recruitment drive, up 21 percent from last year. Of these, 63 percent targeted fresh college graduates.

More than 6,000 high-level and urgently needed professionals received targeted support. Shanghai became the first city in China to launch professional title evaluations for digital technology talent across 14 fields. The city also received 938 applications under the Shanghai List of Recognized Overseas Occupational Qualifications (2.0), including 26 direct overseas submissions. Nearly 60 percent of applicants worked in the city's three leading industries — integrated circuits, biomedicine, and AI.

Support for new forms of employment also expanded, with 1.51 million workers covered by work injury insurance, helping reduce employer costs by 4 billion yuan.

Digital public services improved further. The Government Online-Offline Shanghai platform launched 128 new municipal-level services and recorded 2.793 million visits in the first half of the year. User satisfaction remained high at 99.99 percent, supported by 35 reform initiatives.