Construction of the "Employment Ideological and Political Education" System for Retired Military College Students

Deng Zhouying, Xia Minwen, Wang Xing, Fan Chengxin

【Abstract】With the rapid economic development of our country and the changing employment market situation, the issue of "employment difficulty" among university graduates has become increasingly prominent, particularly for the group of retired military students. In response to this problem, universities have begun to explore the construction of an "employment ideological and political education" system, aiming to guide students to establish correct employment and talent views through strengthening ideological and political education, cultivate students' excellent moral qualities and positive life attitudes, and promote smooth employment for students. Jiangxi Software Vocational and Technical University's College of Retired Military Education, as the first government-school co-constructed college for retired military education in the province, has developed a "employment ideological and political education" system specifically for retired military students through long-term practical exploration. By implementing measures in talent cultivation, employment guidance, innovation and entrepreneurship, and precise assistance, the college helps retired military students successfully complete their transformation, integrate into social development, and achieve high-quality employment.

【Keywords】Veteran College Students | Employment Ideological and Political Education | Ideological and Political Education

I. The Concept and Connotation of "Employment Ideological and Political Education"

With the rapid development of China's economy, the domestic employment market has undergone significant changes. Once regarded as "the pride of heaven," college students now face harsh realities such as "devaluation of education," "mismatch between supply and demand," and "social involution." As a result, the "employment anxiety" among graduates has gradually deepened. In response to the issue of "employment difficulties" for college graduates, as early as a certain year, the "Opinions on Further Promoting the Employment of College Graduates" jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Ministry of Education, and the All-China Students' Federation proposed to "vigorously strengthen ideological and political work, guiding graduates to establish correct views on career selection, employment, and talent development." In a certain year, the General Office of the Ministry of Education issued the "Notice on Strengthening the Ideological and Political Education of College Students' Employment," which explicitly put forward specific measures such as "enhancing the understanding of the importance of ideological and political education in college students' employment, and establishing and improving the management system and working mechanism." The issuance of this notice marked the formal introduction of the concept of "employment ideological and political education." It not only provided clear guidance for colleges and universities to strengthen students' ideological and political education on employment but also offered new ideas and methods for solving the employment problems of graduates. By strengthening ideological and political education, it can effectively guide students to establish correct employment and talent development views, cultivate excellent moral qualities and positive life attitudes, thereby promoting students' smooth, timely, and full employment.

II. The Guiding Significance of "Employment Ideological and Political Education" for College Students Who Are Retired Military Personnel

China has a large number of military veterans retiring each year. Apart from a very small number who can be placed in jobs by the government, the majority are settled through self-employment. After long-term closed-management in the military, veterans may experience a certain degree of disconnection from society, making it difficult for them to find suitable employment in a short period. Additionally, the individual family situations, growth environments, and educational backgrounds of veterans vary greatly, making it even more challenging for those lacking qualifications and skills to find employment. To help veterans quickly adapt to their new identities and achieve high-quality employment, the government has introduced a series of policies on education, training, and employment for veterans. Veterans can enter universities to obtain full-time qualifications through methods such as expanded enrollment in higher vocational education, college entrance exams, and separate admission exams. They can also acquire knowledge and skills through vocational training and continuing education in universities, laying the foundation for future employment and entrepreneurship. With the continuous expansion of the veteran-student population, how to provide them with targeted, precise, and effective educational and training services, help them establish correct employment concepts, stimulate their intrinsic motivation, and build a "employment ideological and political education" system that combines theory with practice, aligns supply with demand, and promotes guidance and support, is not only of great practical significance for addressing the employment stability of veteran groups but also an inevitable requirement for universities to deepen educational reform and fulfill the fundamental task of cultivating moral character.

(1) Clarify career direction, establish correct employment concepts

Ideological and political education is a crucial course for fulfilling the fundamental task of cultivating virtue and nurturing talents, and it is the key path to addressing the epochal question of "what kind of people to cultivate, how to cultivate them, and for whom to cultivate them." For retired servicemen who are college students, the primary significance of "employment ideological and political education" lies in helping them clarify their career development direction and establish correct employment concepts. After leaving the military, retired servicemen face a significant transition from the military to the civilian sector. In addition to needing to readapt to different environments and adjust to a substantial psychological gap, the identity confusion brought about by moving from the military to civilian life can directly affect the retired servicemen's judgment on their future development.

The construction of the "Employment Ideological and Political Education" system can, on one hand, guide retired military college students to objectively and systematically examine their interests, skills, and experiences, while clearly defining their job search positioning by combining current employment market demands and trends. On the other hand, it can instill in them through ideological and political education a lofty ideal, transforming their patriotic sentiments, aspirations for national service, and desires for national strength into concrete practical actions. In their job search, they should not consider salary as the sole factor, but rather go to places where the motherland needs them most and fields where talent is most scarce, dedicating their youth to the land of China.

(2) Alleviate anxiety, strengthen confidence in successful employment

Veteran college students, due to their military service experience, tend to be older compared to their civilian peers. In the process of job hunting, they not only face fierce competition but also multiple pressures from family, society, and self-expectations. These pressures can lead to anxiety, unease, and even self-doubt among veteran college students when seeking employment. In the construction of the "employment ideological and political education" system, psychological health counseling and guidance should be considered crucial components. Universities can support the mental health of veteran college students by implementing the following measures.

One is to conduct mental health lectures and training to help retired military college students learn about mental health knowledge, understand the sources of anxiety, and thereby improve their psychological resilience in a targeted manner.

Second, establish a psychological counseling room specifically for retired military college students, where psychological counseling teachers can provide personalized psychological counseling services based on the military experience, behavioral habits, and age characteristics of retired military college students.

The third is to share successful employment and entrepreneurship cases of retired servicemen. In addition to having the status of a college student, the social attribute of "comrades-in-arms" also provides a link for retired servicemen with different backgrounds and identities. Sharing experiences from comrades-in-arms across various industries can create psychological resonance among retired servicemen who are also college students, providing them with solid assurance to strengthen their confidence in successful employment.

(III) Guided by Scientific Methods, Enhancing Personal Employment Capabilities

Ideological and political education is a science. Therefore, in the construction of the "employment ideological and political education" system, it is not only necessary to have a visionary perspective but also to be adept at grasping scientific laws. Firstly, the scientific guidance of "employment ideological and political education" should be targeted, guiding the group of retired military college students to understand their own advantages, tap into their personal potential, and then combine market demand to formulate career development plans that align with their personal realities.

Currently, the phenomena of "slow employment" and "delayed employment" are emerging one after another. It is important to guide retired military college students to view this phenomenon with dialectical thinking. They should build employment confidence, refuse to "lie flat" or "give up," and also prepare for the workplace in advance, establish the concept of lifelong learning, and accumulate more capital for their career development through continuous learning and progress.

Secondly, the scientific guidance of "employment ideological and political education" should be precise. The individual situations of retired servicemen who are university students are quite complex. There are groups who have already received higher education and hope to enhance their employment strength and career selection abilities through further education or skill learning, as well as those who have work experience and have entered higher education institutions through policies such as expanded enrollment in vocational education. This requires timely and accurate understanding of the students' situations during the employment process, and the development of precise employment plans tailored to their educational background, abilities, experiences, and different employment demands.

Finally, the scientific guidance of "employment thought politics" must be effective. When it comes to courses like "Career Guidance" and "Career Planning," most students tend to categorize them as "easy courses." However, in reality, employment is a concrete practical activity. Throughout the job-seeking process, from resume creation and interview techniques to workplace etiquette, extensive practice is required. Mastering employment skills not only helps veterans who are college students to more fully and effectively showcase their abilities and experiences but also rapidly enhances their competitiveness in the workplace.

III. Practice Exploration on the Construction of the "Employment Ideological and Political Education" System by the Education College for Retired Servicemen at Jiangxi Software Vocational and Technical University

Entering a new era, China's higher education has flourished, and significant changes have also occurred in educational supply. In the past, universities primarily focused on cultivating "high, big, and top" academic talents, but the overemphasis on theoretical research and the homogenized talent cultivation model made graduates less competitive in the job market. With the continuous deepening of higher education reform, some universities have gradually begun to explore the construction of a "small but refined" talent cultivation system that targets key groups and aligns with regional economic development and industrial transformation needs, once again highlighting the important role of vocational education.

Veterans are an important part of our nation's human resources. To maximize the role of veterans in national governance and economic construction and help them achieve their life aspirations, various regions across the country have implemented rich and diverse educational training and employment assistance measures targeting veterans. Against the backdrop of increasing social attention to the employment issues of veterans, establishing veteran education colleges by leveraging higher vocational institutions has become an innovative and effective direction in the field of veteran education and training.

Jiangxi Software Professional Technology University's College of Education for Retired Servicemen, as the first college of its kind in the province jointly established by the government and the university, leverages the advantages of the university's vocational undergraduate resources. It changes the logic of setting up secondary colleges based on disciplinary classification in the past, specifically recruiting retired servicemen as students, and provides them with services in four major areas: academic advancement, skill training, employment guidance, and entrepreneurship incubation. The college emphasizes combining practical considerations for retired servicemen, integrating ideological and political education with employment and entrepreneurship education, guiding retired servicemen to establish correct values and career perspectives while learning skills. The construction of the "employment ideological and political education" system for retired servicemen undergraduates is illustrated as shown.

(1) Firmly uphold ideals and beliefs, cultivate qualified talents.

In the Education Institute for Retired Servicemen at Jiangxi Software Vocational and Technical University, fostering a firm ideal and belief is the primary task in cultivating qualified talents. The institute organizes a series of ideological and political education activities to guide retired military students in maintaining the ideal and belief of "not losing color upon retirement, not losing ambition upon demobilization." Relying on the "Great Ideological and Political Course" practical teaching reform and innovation base co-built with the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Museum, the institute integrates vivid historical materials such as the Jinggangshan Spirit and the Long March Spirit into ideological and political education, ensuring that every student becomes a qualified talent needed by the Party and the nation. In the aspect of "curriculum ideological and political education," the institute integrates elements such as "rural revitalization," "intelligent manufacturing," and "low-altitude economy" into practical training, closely aligning with national strategies, encouraging retired military students to contribute to rural revitalization and grassroots construction, and cultivating a large number of "military secretaries" working in village (community) "two committees" and townships. The institute also launched the first training program for primary and secondary school teacher qualifications (military teachers) in Jiangxi Province, helping numerous retired servicemen obtain primary and secondary school teacher qualification certificates.

(2) Scientific thinking methods, guiding employment practice

The college is committed to cultivating students' scientific thinking methods and integrating them into the practice of employment guidance. In the employment guidance courses, teachers not only impart basic knowledge such as resume writing, interview techniques, internet job searching, and workplace etiquette, but also use teaching methods such as case analysis and situational simulation to allow students to personally experience and practice these skills in simulated environments, thereby enhancing their job-seeking success rates. The college has established a career planning mentor corps, composed of dozens of retired military entrepreneurs and experts in the fields of law, finance, taxation, and more. Through regular thematic lectures, career counseling, and guidance for team entrepreneurship, the mentor corps helps students develop practical career development plans. The college has also built a multi-level, comprehensive employment platform, conducting activities such as "live job postings" and "job selection at your fingertips" online; offline, by organizing recruitment fairs with targeted companies, enabling employers to communicate face-to-face with students, providing more internship and employment opportunities for students.

(III) Enhance "Double Innovation" capabilities to accelerate project incubation

To comprehensively enhance students' "double innovation" (innovation and entrepreneurship) capabilities, the college has implemented a series of effective measures. Firstly, the college focuses on cultivating students' innovative consciousness and entrepreneurial spirit by organizing innovation and entrepreneurship training, launching innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and other activities to stimulate students' enthusiasm for innovation and passion for entrepreneurship. Secondly, the college leverages the Jiangxi Provincial Employment and Entrepreneurship Base for Retired Servicemen to provide students with practical entrepreneurial spaces, legal consultation services, tax policy interpretation, and project incubation support. The college also actively engages in "government-enterprise-industry-school" cooperation, partnering with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Nanchang City Employment and Entrepreneurship Promotion Association for Retired Servicemen, the Ji'an City Employment and Entrepreneurship Promotion Association for Retired Servicemen, and other industry associations as well as relevant enterprises. Through this collaboration, the college continuously promotes the deep integration of industry, academia, and research in practical teaching, offering students more opportunities for employment internships and innovation and entrepreneurship.

(IV) Care for Mental Health, Provide Targeted Assistance

Compared to ordinary college students, retired military college students face heavier real-life pressures such as marriage and employment. These pressures not only make them anxious but also severely impact their confidence in continuing their studies at school. Especially when witnessing their peers already having stable jobs or starting businesses, some students even develop thoughts like "it's better to earn money than to study" and "earn money early to enjoy life early," which can lead to the idea of dropping out. Most retired military college students have only experienced student life and military life, lacking basic social experience. The substantial retirement benefits they receive upon leaving the military naturally become "Tangshen meat" (a metaphor for something highly coveted) in the eyes of some unscrupulous individuals. Given all these factors, the college places great emphasis on students' mental health issues, establishing the "Veterans Counseling Room," where former military academy professors, first-class sergeants, and self-selected officers, known as "old professors" and "old squad leaders," personally address students' daily confusions. The college also enhances students' financial planning abilities and correct mental health recognition through anti-fraud and anti-scam education, interpersonal communication training, and mental health education seminars.

Figure: Construction of the "Employment Ideological and Political Education" System for Retired Military College Students

IV. Conclusion

Veteran university students are a valuable asset to the nation, possessing dual identities as both retired military personnel and university graduates. Their smooth employment and integration into society are not only crucial for local economic development but also closely linked to national defense and military construction. Universities building a "career-oriented ideological and political education" system for veteran university students can not only help them achieve high-quality employment and experience the sense of accomplishment from realizing their own value, but also contribute to fostering a "respect" atmosphere throughout society, encouraging more highly educated youth to join the military, thereby enhancing the nation's cohesion and centripetal force. In the process of exploring the construction of this "career-oriented ideological and political education" system, universities can further strengthen the foundation of ideological and political education, refine and implement talent cultivation plans, and contribute to cultivating new generations who are capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation.

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Article Source: "China Military-to-Civilian Magazine"

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