New materials, pet care and elderly services fuel hiring in China despite a slow job market

Why new materials and care work are hiring in China

China’s job market is sending a mixed signal. Headline indicators look steady, yet employers in a handful of sectors are racing to hire. Fresh third quarter data from a major recruitment platform points to two clear bright spots. First, the new materials industry, a core piece of advanced manufacturing, recorded a 66.7 percent year over year surge in job postings from July to September. Second, modern services tied to daily life and leisure, especially pet care and elderly care, saw a sharp pickup. Pet care postings jumped 43.7 percent year over year, with demand for veterinarians up 128.2 percent and openings for groomers up 67.3 percent.

The figures align with a broader shift. Companies that make next generation batteries, electronics, and specialty chemicals are hiring engineers, lab technicians, and production specialists. At the same time, households are spending more on services that improve quality of life, from veterinary clinics and grooming salons to in home support for aging relatives. This mix shows how industrial upgrading and new consumption patterns are reshaping the hunt for talent.

It comes against a cautious backdrop. China’s urban unemployment rate hovered at 5.2 percent in September after 5.3 percent in August. Surveys and social media chatter capture lingering unease about layoffs and pay cuts in parts of tech, property, and traditional manufacturing. The result is a market where average conditions feel tepid, while pockets of high demand pull ahead.

What the data shows in Q3 2025

Recruiters say the third quarter talent market closely tracked two parallel shifts. The first is industrial upgrading, which is moving manufacturers toward higher value processes, equipment, and materials. That is where new materials stands out, because it serves as the backbone for electric vehicles, energy storage, electronics, aerospace, and green construction. Hiring there tends to focus on candidates who can scale lab breakthroughs to stable, cost efficient mass production.

The second is a change in consumption. Services linked to health, companionship, and entertainment are expanding, creating jobs that are not easily replaced by machines. In pet care, clinics and grooming facilities report steady traffic as more urban households treat pets as family members. Care for the elderly is also evolving, with a shift toward community and home based support, rehabilitation, and assisted living. Digital entertainment, including short form dramas made for mobile screens, has become a fast growing niche that keeps writers, editors, set designers, and distribution managers busy.

Frontier technology continues to shape hiring. Artificial intelligence tools are spreading into factories and offices, and investments in areas such as advanced batteries, new energy systems, and smart equipment are generating steady demand for technicians, data savvy engineers, and quality specialists. These roles aim to lift productivity, reduce defects, and shorten time to market.

How reliable are job postings as a signal

Job posting data reflects employer appetite. It can run ahead of actual hires, and postings may include duplicates or roles kept open to build a talent pipeline. Seasonal patterns also play a role. Even with those caveats, large year over year increases typically indicate sustained hiring intent. Combined with official statistics on employment and output, postings offer a useful read on where momentum is building.

Why new materials are rising

New materials is a broad term that covers advanced polymers, composites, specialty resins, engineered ceramics, thin films, and high performance metals and alloys. These materials solve hard problems. They make batteries safer and denser, help electronics manage heat, allow aircraft parts to be lighter without losing strength, and enable wind turbines to last longer in harsh environments. The push to electrify transport and power, digitize industry, and cut emissions has made materials science a strategic field for manufacturers worldwide.

China’s policy drive toward higher quality growth supports this trend. Official data for 2024 show strong activity in high tech manufacturing and equipment making, alongside record spending on research and development as a share of the economy. That combination increases the need for people who can translate research into scalable processes. Employers are looking for polymer chemists, electrochemists, materials modeling experts, and engineers who can design production lines, set process windows, and build rigorous quality systems.

Global suppliers illustrate how diverse the work can be. Advanced materials groups provide adhesives, encapsulants, and composite systems used in electric drive units, printed circuit boards, aircraft structures, and sports equipment. Their teams blend chemistry with mechanical and electrical engineering to solve thermal, structural, and durability challenges. Chinese firms that compete in batteries, electronics, and clean energy face similar challenges, which explains the jump in postings for technical staff and production specialists.

Which skills are in demand

Hiring managers in new materials describe a practical skill mix. The most sought after profiles combine strong fundamentals with direct experience on the plant floor. Typical requirements include:

• Process engineering, including design of experiments, statistical process control, and root cause analysis
• Polymer and resin formulation, rheology, and curing chemistry for adhesives and composites
• Battery materials know how, such as cathode and electrolyte development, slurry mixing, coating, calendering, and formation
• Thermal management and reliability testing for electronics and power systems
• Quality systems and certifications, including failure analysis and supplier development
• Scale up experience that bridges pilot lines and mass production

Pets as family and the rise of emotional spending

Pet care is benefitting from a trend often called emotional spending. As incomes stabilize, many urban consumers channel a share of discretionary money into products and services that deliver comfort, companionship, and health benefits. Pets sit at the center of that shift. Clinics, grooming salons, boarding facilities, and specialty retailers are opening in residential districts and shopping centers, and brands are introducing foods, supplements, and accessories tailored to breed, age, and health conditions.

That demand shows up in hiring. The third quarter saw a 128.2 percent increase in postings for veterinarians and a 67.3 percent rise for pet groomers compared with a year earlier. Clinics compete for licensed vets and veterinary nurses who can handle wellness checks, surgery, imaging, and client communication. Groomers need both technical skills and customer service, since repeat business depends on outcomes and trust. Beyond the storefront, ecommerce has added roles in digital marketing, online consultation, and supply chain operations.

Health trends are also expanding the product side. Industry forecasts point to rapid growth in probiotics and functional nutrition for humans and animals, as research on gut health spreads and consumers seek targeted benefits. Pet food and supplement makers are recruiting formulation scientists, regulatory specialists, and quality managers to keep pace with a more discerning customer base and tighter standards.

Where the jobs are in pet care

Roles span clinical, service, and product functions. Employers are hiring for:

• Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and practice managers in general and specialty clinics
• Groomers, trainers, and behavior consultants in service chains and independent shops
• Digital customer support, online pharmacy operations, and logistics for pet platforms
• Pet nutrition, product development, and regulatory compliance in food and supplements
• Franchise development and location management for brick and mortar expansion

Aging reshapes services and jobs

Care for older adults is moving from a facility only model to a spectrum that includes home visits, community day services, rehabilitation centers, and integrated medical care. That change is driven by demographics and policy. China’s population has begun to shrink, the share of older residents is rising, and urbanization has lifted the need for community based solutions that work for families with demanding jobs.

Local governments and private operators are building networks that mix professional nursing, chronic disease management, and companionship services. Technology plays a growing role. Devices that monitor vitals at home, platforms that coordinate appointments and medication reminders, and remote consultations can reduce pressure on hospitals and families. Employers in this space seek nursing staff, rehabilitation therapists, care coordinators, and managers trained in both clinical basics and customer service.

Building a qualified workforce is the challenge. Training programs are expanding, yet the gap between demand and certified caregivers remains wide. Career ladders, standardized credentials, and clear pay bands can help attract younger workers to a field that has long struggled with retention. Experiences from childcare show what is possible when standards and capacity rise in tandem.

Training and standards for care work

Successful care systems share traits. They rely on competency based training, regular recertification, transparent pricing, and integration with local health providers. For employers, partnerships with vocational schools and hospitals can shorten onboarding and reduce turnover.

AI and frontier tech keep demand steady

Artificial intelligence is moving from pilot projects to daily operations. In factories, algorithms flag defects on the line, predict equipment failures, fine tune process settings, and plan material flows. In offices, language models speed routine tasks. These tools reward workers who can pair domain knowledge with data literacy, which is why job descriptions now include basic scripting, data visualization, and familiarity with industrial software.

Frontier sectors add to that steady pull. Battery makers continue to scale new chemistries and manufacturing techniques. Equipment makers need mechanical, power electronics, and control engineers. Hydrogen, bio based materials, and next generation sensors are no longer niche research topics. They are moving into pilot production and early commercialization, which lifts demand for technicians and quality specialists who can operate new lines and measure results reliably.

Official statistics capture part of the story. In 2024, China’s research and development spending grew in absolute terms and rose as a share of gross domestic product. High tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing logged solid gains. These numbers help explain why postings in advanced manufacturing did not sag even as consumer sentiment stayed cautious.

A labor market with mixed signals

Two dynamics co exist. Youth job seekers face intense competition for white collar roles, while employers lament a shortage of skilled technicians who can install, operate, and maintain advanced equipment. This mismatch has been years in the making. University programs are still catching up with the practical software, automation, and data skills needed on modern factory floors. Companies often underinvest in structured training over concerns about churn, which limits the growth of a stable mid skill workforce.

At the same time, headline indicators look calm. In 2024, official data show 12.56 million new urban jobs and an average urban unemployment rate near 5 percent. September’s 5.2 percent reading continued that pattern. Stability at the top level can mask stress under the surface, especially in sectors hit by property market weakness or budget tightening. This is why job growth in new materials and services stands out. It reflects areas where demand is real and investment continues.

Wage dynamics vary by sector. Technical roles in manufacturing and materials are commanding higher pay as firms compete for scarce skills. Service roles in pet and elder care depend more on location, brand, and skill level, with large chains offering clearer promotion paths. Employers that build credible training and pay ladders are finding it easier to attract and retain staff.

What job seekers and employers can do now

For job seekers, the strongest resumes blend foundations with proof of applied skills. In materials and manufacturing, that can mean hands on internships, certification in statistical process control, or documented projects using design of experiments. In pet care and elder care, credentials and supervised practice matter, along with communication and customer trust. Short courses that teach data tools, quality methods, or health basics can make a candidate stand out.

For employers, the most reliable way to close skills gaps is to treat training as a long term investment. Partnerships with vocational colleges, paid apprenticeships, and transparent pay for skill frameworks reduce hiring risk and turnover. Clear career paths encourage workers to stay and upskill. Companies that collect and share data on training outcomes usually recover their investment through higher productivity and lower defect and attrition costs.

• Prioritize practical training that maps to production lines and service protocols
• Use standardized credentials to signal skill and tie them to pay bands
• Build mentoring and peer learning into schedules to retain mid career staff

The Bottom Line

• New materials led all sectors in third quarter postings, up 66.7 percent year over year
• Pet care hiring accelerated, with veterinarian postings up 128.2 percent and groomer roles up 67.3 percent
• Elderly care is shifting toward community and home based services, creating demand for nursing, rehabilitation, and coordination roles
• Artificial intelligence and frontier technologies are supporting steady hiring in advanced manufacturing
• Official data show stable headline unemployment near 5 percent, while sentiment remains cautious in parts of the economy
• Skills gaps persist, especially in technical roles that link research, production, and quality
• Training, standardized credentials, and clear pay ladders help employers fill roles and lift retention
• Job seekers who combine fundamentals with documented applied skills have the strongest prospects in these growth areas