China's smartest students used to chase tech and finance jobs. Now, they're choosing manufacturing.

China's top graduates are increasingly choosing manufacturing and energy jobs.

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• China's elite graduates are choosing manufacturing and energy over tech and finance roles.
• Tsinghua University says graduates entering the manufacturing and energy sectors jumped 19.1% year over year.
• Experts tell BI the nature of manufacturing work has changed as China upgrades its industrial base.

For years, China's top graduates chased jobs in finance and tech.