In a story that highlights the challenges of job hunting in the current job market, an Oxford University graduate has taken to working as a delivery driver after failing to find employment. According to a report in 163.com, 39-year-old Ding Yuanzhao started delivering food in Singapore after losing his job last year.
Highly educated, but struggling to find work
China-born Ding holds multiple degrees from some of the world’s top universities – including a master’s in biodiversity from Britain’s prestigious Oxford University, a master’s in energy engineering from Peking University, and a doctorate in biology from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.
Despite his stellar qualifications, Ding has been unable to find a suitable job. According to a report in SCMP, Ding worked on postdoctoral research at the National University of Singapore (NUS). However, after his contract ended in March last year, he resorted to working as a food delivery rider.
The Oxford University graduate sent his CV to several companies and attended 10 interviews, but was still unsuccessful in landing a job. He then registered as a food delivery worker in Singapore.
By working 10 hours a day, Ding earns around SG$700 a week.
‘It’s not a bad job,’ says Ding
“It is a stable job. I can support my family with this income. If you work hard, you can earn a decent living. It’s not a bad job,” Ding reportedly said on social media.
“One advantage of delivering food is that you can get your workout in at the same time,” he added.
Ding’s early years
The Chinese man is a native of Fujian province. He took China’s national university entrance exam, known as gaokao, in 2004. After scoring an impressive 700 out of 750, he secured admission to Tsinghua University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.
After that, Ding went on to study at Peking University, Oxford and then at Nanyang Technological University.
After failing to land a job in 2024, he could have chosen to work as a private tutor as many others in his position do. However, Ding said he did not choose that path as he felt “too shy to seek customers on his own.”