Discussion keeps the world turning.
This is Roundtable While university enrollment numbers are seeing a dip,
vocational schools are filling up with bachelor's degree holders ready to learn some hands-on trades.
Some call it upgrading to vocational college and others call it just common sense.
We'll explore why China's Gen Z is rethinking the value of another degree and what happens when the old formulas stop adding up.
We're live from our studios in Beijing.
This is Roundtable.
I'm Steve.
Thanks for being with us today.
and for the show I'm with Fei Fei and Xing Yu.
First up.
A university degree has long been sold to us as the golden ticket,
a laminated certificate promising a stable career, a decent salary, and a clear path forward.
But for many in Gen Z, that promise is starting to feel like a bit of a mismatch.
Across China, postgraduate exam applications have dropped for three consecutive years.
Meanwhile,
bachelor's degree holders are heading back to vocational schools to learn some hands-on trades,
and it's not about giving up on education, not at all, as a matter of fact.
But it is about questioning what education actually means to us and what it might actually be for.
As AI reshapes industries overnight and employers warn of widening skills gaps,