By Gao Yang

‘I can speak four languages: Lao, Thai, Chinese and English. I am proficient in using office software and also skilled in computer maintenance...’ On the afternoon of 22 May, Lu Yi, an international student from Laos at Nantong Vocational University, stepped off the stage, and the HR representatives from two enterprises actively handed over their business cards.

It is one scene in the Nantong enterprises going global and foreign students studying in Nantong connect and cooperate event. On the day, more than 30 quality and renowned enterprises of popular fields such as smart manufacturing, high-end textiles, new energy and new materials participated in the event. More than 300 international students from nearly 40 countries including Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Pakistan looked for jobs on site.

At 2 pm, long queues quickly formed in front of the booths of companies such as Zhongtian Technology, Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable, and Xinfu Food. The international students brought their resumes, and communicated with the HR of the enterprises in fluent Chinese. The job posts of the enterprises cover overseas project management, international trade and cross-border operations. Many HR professionals said that the language advantages and cross-cultural background of international students are exactly what companies need when ‘going global’.

‘We need students who are fluent in Vietnamese and Russian, as well as those majoring in international trade,’ said Yin Genqun, general manager of Nantong Xinfu Food Co., Ltd. The company plans to set up factories overseas, and international talent is a necessity. ‘Our positions are highly relevant to the students' majors, and we have already received quite a few resumes. We will continue to follow up with some interested students.’

The most eye-catching part of the event was the international student showcase session. 19 international students from Nantong Vocational University, Jiangsu Shipping College, Jiangsu College of Engineering and Technology, and Nantong College of Science and Technology took the stage one after another, introducing themselves in Chinese and showcasing their talents. Laicai, a student from Nigeria, sang The Bund; Cambodian students performed the dance Sending the Dragon into Monkhood; and Molusi, a student from South Africa, played the African drum. Through their performances, the international students not only demonstrated their Chinese-language proficiency, but also expressed their desire to work for Chinese-funded enterprises after returning to their home countries.

‘I major in tourism management. I have consulted a few companies. The jobs they provide are mainly international trade and interpretation.’ Zhong Chuizhuang, an international student from Vietnam at Nantong Vocational University said, ‘our school has provided us with many opportunities for exchange and learning, and I am very confident that I will find a suitable job.’

On site, Nantong International Economic and Technological Cooperation Association signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the three schools including Nantong Vocational University. Enterprises such as Zhongtian Technology and Xinfu Food signed dual-education cooperation agreements with the schools. Chen Bei, dean of the School of International Cooperative Education at Nantong Vocational University, introduced that the university currently has 275 international students from 15 countries. Since 2016, it has cultivated nearly 1,000 international students from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, many of whom have become key local-operation personnel for overseas projects of Chinese-funded enterprises.

【背景阅读】

30余家企业引才 近40国留学生参与

南通这场招聘会“国际范儿”十足

“我会老挝语、泰语、中文和英文四种语言，能够熟练使用办公软件，还会电脑维护……”5月22日下午，就读于南通职业大学的老挝留学生路忆刚走下展示台，就有两家企业HR主动递上了名片。

这是南通出海企业与在通外国留学生对接合作活动中的一幕。当天，智能制造、高端纺织、新能源新材料等热门领域的30余家优企名企纷纷入场，越南、泰国、缅甸、巴基斯坦等近40个国家的300余名留学生现场求职。

下午2时，中天科技、通光线缆、信孚食品等企业展位前很快排起了长队。留学生们手持简历，用流利的中文与企业HR交流。企业带来的岗位涵盖海外项目管理、国际贸易、跨境运营等，不少HR表示，留学生的语言优势和跨文化背景正是企业“走出去”所急需的。

“我们需要精通越南语、俄语，还有国际贸易相关专业的学生。”南通信孚食品有限公司总经理殷根群说，企业准备在海外设厂，国际化人才是刚需，“我们岗位和学校专业关联度很高，已经收了挺多的简历，一些有意向的学生，后续会继续跟进。”

最引人注目的是留学生风采推介展示环节。19名来自南通职大、江苏航院、江苏工院和南通科院的各国留学生依次登台，用中文自我介绍并进行才艺展示。尼日利亚留学生来财唱起《上海滩》；柬埔寨留学生集体表演舞蹈《送龙出家》；南非留学生莫路思打起非洲鼓……留学生们不仅展示了中文功底，更表达了回国后在中资企业工作的意愿。

“我学的是旅游管理，已经咨询了几家企业，他们提供的岗位主要是国际贸易和翻译。”南通职大越南留学生钟垂庄说，“学校给我们提供了很多交流学习的机会，我对找到合适的工作很有信心。”

现场，南通市国际经济技术合作协会与南通职大等三所学校签署了战略合作协议，中天科技、信孚食品等企业与高校签订了双元育人协议。南通职业大学国际合作教育学院院长陈蓓介绍，学校现有来自15个国家的275名学历生，2016年以来累计培养近千名共建“一带一路”国家留学生，许多毕业生已成为中资企业海外项目的本土化运营骨干。