Unlike many high-tech factories that often require at least a college diploma for quality inspection positions, Zhongji Innolight has lowered the educational requirement for its QC roles to a high school graduation. Among the blue-collar jobs at Innolight, skills like operating a microscope are far more critical than academic credentials.
In May, the AI computing power boom resonated simultaneously in capital markets and the real world in Suzhou.
On one hand, the stock price of Zhongji Innolight (300308.SZ) broke through 1000 yuan, surging nearly tenfold over two years, with its total market capitalization reaching 1.11 trillion yuan, making it the top-valued optical module company on the A-share market.
On the other hand, production lines are expanding, and recruitment is ongoing. On May 9, outside the Innolight Optoelectronics Industrial Park located at No. 168 Shengpu Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou, over a hundred young people lined up in queues. Clutching their ID cards, with backpacks and suitcases at their feet, some even arrived directly carrying bedding in sacks, hoping to join the assembly lines producing optical modules.
These young people may not fully grasp the value of optical modules in the AI era: an optical module, only the size of a lighter, with data rates upgrading from 400G to 800G and then to 1.6T, directly determines the operational efficiency of entire AI computing clusters. However, recruitment slogans like "stable orders, monthly salary over 8000 yuan, high school graduation acceptable, social security and housing fund contributions, meals and accommodation provided" are sufficiently enticing for them.
"We need general workers and QC (Quality Control). Even if all of you are hired today, it wouldn't be enough," shouted a recruitment agent standing at the front of the line.
Hiring over a hundred people a day is "considered low!" said Zhang Yuhao, General Manager of Suzhou Zhiying Human Resources Co., Ltd. During peak times, four to five hundred applicants can gather at the factory gate. Nowadays, large semiconductor factories of Innolight's scale experience peak hiring periods annually after the Chinese New Year, sometimes with queues of even a thousand people.
"The labor gap persists," said Zhang Yuhao, who has been in intermediary services in Suzhou for over six years, witnessing the city's industrial cycles fluctuate. In previous years, OEM factories producing screens and mobile phone components were major employers. Now, large semiconductor factories like Innolight have high labor demands and offer better pay, attracting more blue-collar workers.
To inquire about the projected labor gap and recruitment situation for 2026, attempts were made to contact Innolight's official channels, but no response was received by the time of publication.
**All Hired Still Not Enough**
With the explosive growth in AI computing power demand, Zhongji Innolight's 800G and 1.6T high-speed optical modules are experiencing an unprecedented volume expansion period. "The company is still increasing production," stated a research and development engineer at Innolight. The surge in AI computing demand has driven the company's capacity expansion. This year, with factory area expansion, production lines require more manpower. Zhongji Innolight stated during an institutional conference call that new production capacity is released every quarter.
The aforementioned recruitment agent revealed that in the first quarter of last year, Innolight's production bases in Suzhou and Tongling recruited over 3000 new blue-collar workers.
The R&D engineer explained that as a production entity, Innolight cannot predict tomorrow's orders from downstream clients. Adjustments in chip manufacturers' shipment schedules, and even the current pace of AI application deployment, affect the entire supply chain's rhythm. This is one reason Innolight is continuously hiring.
Zhang Yuhao noted that Innolight's wage levels are in the top tier in Suzhou. However, "out of 100 people interviewed in a day, perhaps only 20 eventually make it to the production line and stay on the job." To cope with order fluctuations, large factories like Innolight heavily rely on intermediary agencies to fill labor gaps. Factories want flexibility for urgent customer orders, while workers are drawn by the high salaries and low entry barriers.
Compared to factories in the consumer electronics industry like Foxconn, the semiconductor industry's peak and off-season cycles are less pronounced. According to Zhang Yuhao's observation, the peak season is generally after the Spring Festival, when many leave before the holiday and replacements are needed afterward. During peak hiring periods, wages and housing fund contributions are higher. By late March, labor rates typically decrease, and as demand shrinks, it becomes harder to get hired. May often sees another gap period. With an influx of summer job seekers in June and July, blue-collar workers find it more difficult to secure jobs.
Outside the old industrial park on Xiasheng Road, two kilometers from the Innolight Optoelectronics Industrial Park, a young man who had just started working a month ago said while cracking sunflower seeds: "Couldn't get paid on construction sites. Heard from an agent that it's stable here, so I came to be an operator." Another young man, having joined Innolight less than a week ago, saw the "monthly salary over 8000 yuan, social security and housing fund, meals and accommodation provided" offer online. He promptly quit his previous job at an electronics factory, bought a train ticket, and came for the Innolight interview.
No prior experience with optical module work? The recruitment agent tried to dispel concerns with one sentence: No experience is fine, as long as you pass the interview.
**Microscope Skills Trump Academic Degrees**
Sweat beaded on the recruitment agent's forehead as he collected IDs from applicants, his voice hoarse from shouting: Show your arms, no tattoos allowed; minimum requirement is high school graduation; QC must know English letters A, B, C, D; if no experience, be honest in the interview. "You're already here, just be sincere."
Unlike many high-tech factories that often require at least a college diploma for quality inspection positions, Zhongji Innolight has lowered the educational requirement for its QC roles to a high school graduation.
Among the young people entering Innolight through Zhang Yuhao's agency, high school and vocational college graduates are in the minority. Most are university graduates with one or two years of work experience. "After the agency's perfunctory training, what the factory really needs are people who can work and operate a microscope."
Based on information from multiple recruitment agencies, Innolight's current blue-collar openings mainly fall into two categories. One is operators or general workers. The work is more precise than traditional assembly of computers or phones, involving basic processes like dispensing adhesive, placing components, or soldering for optical modules, connecting hair-thin optical fibers into精密的光模块组件.
The other category is quality inspection positions, which have higher demand and higher barriers. Optical modules integrate complex circuits and optical devices. QC personnel need to use microscopes to inspect焊点 for burrs or check if gold wires are broken.
Zhang Yuhao's office has several microscopes specifically for training those wanting to work on the assembly line. "This work is extremely demanding, requiring careful inspection of rice-grain-sized components under a microscope."
A worker who switched from CATL to Innolight described it as "doing intricate work in a螺蛳壳." Unlike previous environments assembling casings or motherboards, he now must wear a full cleanroom suit, work in a constant temperature and humidity cleanroom, maintaining a state of high focus.
Among Innolight's blue-collar jobs, mastering skills like using a microscope is far more important than学历. QC workers need to use microscopes for extended periods, about three to four hours daily, and must adapt to 12-hour shift rotations. The recruitment agent介绍: starting work at 8:30 AM, overtime until 8:30 PM is common, with 15-minute tea breaks in the morning and afternoon; one hour for lunch, half an hour for dinner.
The recruitment agent informed that Innolight's occupational health check is a strict filter. "It's very stringent. Those with color weakness or failing the hearing test are absolutely not acceptable." He also严肃提醒 applicants that high blood pressure, abnormal心电图, or elevated alanine aminotransferase levels due to长期吸烟 or酗酒 could potentially hinder entry into the factory.
**Pure Manual Inspection for the Most Advanced Components**
Innolight's interview process generally involves three rounds: initial screening by HR, followed by an AI interview, and finally by a supervisor. The AI interview asks about willingness to work overtime, experience using microscopes, reasons for leaving previous jobs, etc. The system automatically scores based on回答的流畅度 and keywords. "Speak loudly, be proactive, don't just answer questions one by one," the recruitment agent repeatedly reminded interviewees.
Can't machines handle quality inspection? From workers inside Innolight to recruitment agents, the answer is unanimously negative,理由是光模块实在太精密了.
"The products are so small they're almost invisible to the naked eye. They must be inspected one by one by people under microscopes," said Zhang Yuhao.
The Innolight R&D engineer further explained that at the current工艺水平, the inspection环节仍严重依赖人工. Even if machines can automatically assemble, place components, and package,最终确认一颗微小的光模块上没有细微的裂痕、脏污,还得靠人.
The R&D engineer personally participated in the upgrade of optical module production from 400G to 800G/1.6T, which he takes pride in. However, every optical module connecting the most powerful computing chips must undergo纯人工质检 by the hands and eyes of blue-collar workers before leaving the factory.
This also creates a structurally stable employment model for Innolight: precise yet monotonous work, difficult to replace with machines.
As part of the labor supply chain, Zhang Yuhao needs to prepare enough candidates: some are filtered out during interviews, some leave after dormitory分配, some are lost after failing health checks, and once on the production line, some who don't want to continue leave. "There are people leaving the factory every day. Send in a batch, check back after two weeks, and you're doing well if half remain."
In this era where computing power is reshaping the global capital landscape,高端技术与最枯燥的纯手工检验作业, such as AI算力, silicon photonics technology, and CPO packaging, coexist in a peculiar symbiosis and contrast within this industrial park in the Yangtze River Delta.
**Recruitment Streamers 'Shake' for People Online**
Getting onto the assembly line has its tricks. Agents repeatedly "coach" applicants before interviews: when asked about reasons for leaving previous jobs, don't say "family matters"; say "original factory laid off staff" or "production reduced"; don't say "worked at many factories" as interviewers might see you as unstable; just say "been in one or two"; exaggerate the duration of previous employment slightly, don't worry about background checks.
While agents whisper advice, about ten meters away from the interview queue, Guan Tingting, dressed时尚 and wearing精致妆容, holds a phone支架,熟练地对屏幕说: "All粉丝 entering the直播间, type your questions on the公屏!"
Guan Tingting is a live-streaming recruitment主播 for Zhiying Human Resources Co., Ltd., a "流量捕手" on Suzhou Industrial Park's recruitment industry chain. She attracts流量 online through live streams. Some wanting to switch to semiconductor factories come线下, receive training through agencies, and then attend factory interviews. This online-to-offline闭环的招工流程 is now成熟.
Zhang Yuhao's company also started "直播带岗" over the past year or so. Previously, he and colleagues had to recruit people everywhere for interviews and factory entry. "Now, without doing online, you simply can't compete for people."
For every worker successfully placed into assembly lines at factories like Innolight, intermediary agencies like Zhang Yuhao's receive a one-time fee of around 1000 yuan.
In recent years, recruitment agencies have proliferated, from small street shops with just a dozen people to large labor companies recruiting跨省市. There are over 700 agencies of various sizes near Zhang Yuhao's company, with白热化 competition. "Originally, service fees were similar, but some started offering commissions below market rate, differing by 100-300 yuan. In the end卷到最后, nobody makes money."
To attract more workers, agents使出浑身解数.
Guan Tingting一方面跑到 Innolight factory gates, conducting real-time "带岗"直播 on platforms like Douyin;一方面更新短视频,科普半导体厂的一些用工要求、薪资待遇 to粉丝.
Guan Tingting介绍, Zhongji Innolight's recruitment extends far beyond Suzhou. "Innolight has a factory in相城, one each on Xiasheng Road and Shengpu Road, and also安徽铜陵旭创, all大量招蓝领."
The information Guan Tingting posts in Innolight recruitment groups is straightforward: many positions, accommodation arranged on the same day,大量要人. Base salary 2598-2758 yuan, full attendance bonus 300 yuan, performance bonus 350 yuan, work allowance 650 yuan, position allowance 120 yuan, plus overtime pay,综合可达7000-8500 yuan. "Those wanting to earn money都想 of Innolight, but those wanting轻松别来," said Zhang Yuhao. With the rise of semiconductor and optoelectronics industries in Suzhou, local electronics factories' labor demands have shifted entirely from traditional electronic OEM to high-value-added semiconductor manufacturing. "A few years ago,代工厂 were hot, making screens, phone配件. Now半导体要好一点." Zhang Yuhao recalled that before 2023, hiring peaks often fluctuated with consumer electronics release cycles. But since the爆发 of AI大模型, the new technological wave has made chip semiconductor demand火热, and labor demand at光电大厂 like Innolight and东辉 also持续走高.
The狂欢 at the金字塔尖 of AI算力 must be supported by a庞大且呈指数级增长的人力 base at the bottom. Financial reports show that Zhongji Innolight's number of在职员工 increased continuously from 4,071 in 2020 to 11,625 in 2025, officially becoming a "万人大厂." "In the past, everyone talked about Foxconn. Now everyone asks about Innolight," said a recently hired Innolight worker, often seeing young people arriving from all over the country with suitcases, coming and going at the factory site. Some will become "追光的人," others may leave不久后, and Innolight's recruitment will continue.
**Interactive Question**
Are you optimistic about Zhongji Innolight's prospects?
Comments