Over the past two years, 136,000 university graduates have chosen to stay in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, for employment or entrepreneurship. During the recent Lanzhou "Two Sessions," retaining graduates in the city once again became a hot topic. Lanzhou has launched the "University Graduate Retention Doubling Plan," introducing 13 substantial incentive policies through systematic policy innovation and humanistic care. These measures include employment and entrepreneurship subsidies, youth talent hostels, and housing vouchers, aiming to attract 200,000 graduates to work or start businesses in Lanzhou within three years. The goal is to pave a growth path for young talent where they can "come, stay, and thrive."
"From application to check-in, it took less than 24 hours. I received free accommodation and career guidance—this city gave me an initial sense of belonging," said Li Boshen, a job seeker from Qinghai, recalling the warmth he experienced upon arriving in Lanzhou through the youth talent hostel. There, he met like-minded peers and eventually secured a desirable job. These hostels, operated through market-oriented partnerships with social hotels under the authorization of the Lanzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League, serve as timely support for young job seekers. Currently, 37 youth talent hostels in Lanzhou offer 185 rooms daily, providing free accommodation for over 1,000 young job seekers for a total of 4,657 nights, acting as the "first stepping stone" for youth settling in Lanzhou.
At Lanzhou's talent apartments, 60-square-meter units are fully equipped with appliances and kitchen facilities. Ma Lei, a Lanzhou University graduate who decided to work in the city, applied for and quickly moved into one of these apartments after learning about the policy. "With such supportive policies, I believe more young people will put down roots in Lanzhou," Ma Lei said. Stability in housing is key to fostering career satisfaction. Lanzhou has vigorously promoted talent housing projects, developing 1,481 talent apartments that allow for "moving in with just a suitcase." New doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate graduates working or starting businesses in Lanzhou can receive housing vouchers or subsidies when purchasing their first home. To date, the city has distributed over 14 million yuan in housing vouchers to 123 graduates.
Increasing policy benefits are boosting young people’s confidence in settling down. Lanzhou has included the development of a youth-friendly city in its government work report for three consecutive years, establishing a collaborative framework involving party and government leadership, Youth League coordination, departmental synergy, and social participation. Employment is crucial for youth integration into the city. Lanzhou has diversified recruitment approaches, such as on-campus job fairs, night market recruitment events, and live-streamed job promotions, attracting nearly 500 companies to offer over 30,000 positions and serving more than 12,000 young people. Nine new youth internship bases, seven "Youth Enterprise Visits" activities, and 30 vocational skill training sessions have built a "transition bridge" from campus to workplace. One-on-one assistance for 598 graduates from disadvantaged families has made employment pathways smoother and more supportive.
The focus is not only on attracting and retaining talent but also on ensuring their success. The Lanzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League has created the "Youth Lecture Hall" brand to strengthen ideological foundations and empower youth development. "Where is the most meaningful place for youth to flourish? On their hometown soil, where people need them most," said Sun Jiaqi, a staff member at Lanzhou’s Chengguan District Railway Station Sub-district Office. As a participant in the "Three Supports and One Assistance" program, she has worked at the grassroots level for three years, organizing community activities and mediating neighborhood disputes, earning the title of "Outstanding Communist Youth League Member of Gansu Province." In Lanzhou, 35,000 graduates like Sun Jiaqi are engaged in community-level governance, while 16,000 young volunteers serve at major events like the Lanzhou Marathon, actively contributing to urban management across various fronts.
"Youth can achieve great things in rural revitalization," said Chen Bainian, a native of Lanzhou, during an e-commerce live stream. After graduating, he passed up opportunities elsewhere to return home and start a business, helping local farmers expand online and offline sales channels to increase incomes. Lanzhou’s "Rural Revitalization Youth Endeavor" initiative has trained six youth pioneers who conducted 13 "Youth Assisting Agriculture" live streams, generating nearly 20 million yuan in sales. This effort encourages more youth with innovative ideas and skills to engage in rural areas, promoting local products beyond Gansu through e-commerce competitions and public welfare streams, injecting vitality into the countryside through practical action.
Lanzhou is creating an all-round friendly environment for young people to pursue their dreams with peace of mind. "Guided by the 'Excel in Lanzhou' brand, we will collaborate with multiple departments to implement precise policies and attract more youth to join hands with Lanzhou in mutual growth," said Wang Zhe, Secretary of the Lanzhou Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League.
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