A hundred and twenty-six polytechnic school graduates from Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province began working in Jiading last month, thanks to a job fair held by the district's human resources and social security bureau along with 26 companies taking part in.

The district has provided employment opportunities for students from this remote area for many years.

Li Mingwei is one of the graduates starting a new life in Jiading this year. He majored in computerized numerical control at Chuxiong Technician College and is employed by Omni Gear, a multinational company that produces gears and gearboxes on Bao'an Highway in Jiading New City.

During this year's job fair, the company hired 25 graduates from the college.

Under the guidance of his mentor Yuan Bo, Li learnt processing and making products.

"I didn't use this kind of equipment at school, so I felt lost at first," Li said.

Thanks to Yuan's help, he now understands the workflow and has mastered the techniques in a short period of time.

Yuan said these graduates need more time to develop themselves.

"They should maintain a serious attitude toward work and constantly study," Yuan said. "Each product needs to be crafted, so workers should have the 'spirit of the craftsman.'"

An Omni Gear official said the company has taken part in the job fair in Chuxiong for three consecutive years, and it now has more 40 employees from that area working for it.

To make these workers understand the company's commitment to them, Omni Gear provides self-contained dormitories to those who have left their hometowns.

Meanwhile, Luo Qingtao and four other young people from Yunnan received job offers from a catering company called Lanxuan in Jiading New City. Because there are few medium and high-end hotels and restaurants in Chuxiong, many students from the college majoring in Chinese cuisine, like Luo, have to find jobs in big cities.

"The salary is satisfactory, and I get along well with my colleagues," Luo said. During lunch time, he didn't take a break but worked on his cooking skills in the kitchen.

A special training plan on cooking skills, service etiquette and hotel management has been developed for the five newcomers, said Li Yi, manager of the hotel where Lanxuan is located.

"At present, the types of work are arranged according to their personal abilities and specialties, including kitchen helper and waiter. After adapting, we plan to let them rotate around different jobs and improve their various abilities," Li said.

According to statistics, as of this year, 723 graduates from the college have been employed in the district. The human resources and social security bureau will track their careers to help them realize their dreams of increasing their incomes by working in other places.

A special street dedicated to helping the remote provinces – Yunnan and Qinghai – sell their special local products was recently launched at 2050 Shengzhu Road in the district.

Last August, the street's first tenant opened its doors with local products from Chuxiong, the first of its kind in Shanghai.

Over the past year, it has sold more than 15 million yuan (US$2.3 million) of goods, and over 10.68 million yuan in pre-orders for this year have been confirmed.

The store was updated this year. And three stores – a 210-square-meter experience store dedicated to the culture of Jiuzhi County in Qinghai's Golog Prefecture, a 110-square-meter store for special local products from the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan and a 1,000-square-meter Yunnan wild mushroom-themed restaurant – recently opened on the street.

Many local products, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, cultural heritage and flowers, can be bought, pre-ordered and made to order in these stores. People can taste cuisine from the plateau, enjoy tea and coffee, read books, work, communicate with each other and hold activities in this area.

Under the support of the Jiading, fresh local products can be sent to customers' homes via cold chain logistics.