Latest news with #DingYuanzhao
Independent Singapore
a day ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Chinese man who studied at Oxford, NTU, other universities but ended up as food delivery worker sparks conversation on ‘the point of education'
Photo: Screengrab/ X and Facebook SINGAPORE: Ding Yuanzhao made the news this week for being perhaps the most qualified food delivery rider in the world. His story, first told in the Chinese news portal has since been retold on news sites in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and Malaysia. The 39-year-old has also sparked debate on how important education and academic qualifications are amid the current challenges of the job market. Mr Ding has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Tsinghua University, to which he was admitted after a stellar score on the national university entrance exam in China in 2004. After that, he obtained a master's degree in energy engineering from Peking University. In the years that followed, he earned another master's degree in biodiversity from Oxford University and then a PhD in biology from Nanyang Technological University. Then, until his contract ended in March 2024, he also did postdoctoral research at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Screenshot After that, Mr Ding began looking for jobs, sending his resume and landing more than 10 interviews. However, due to the challenging job market, he did not get hired. This led to his work as a food delivery rider in Singapore, where he worked 10 hours each day and was able to take home S$700 per week, according to a report in the South China Morning Post (SCMP). While he could have worked as a private tutor, he said that he was too shy to put himself out there to get students. When Mr Ding returned to China last year, SCMP says he took on work as a food delivery worker for a top shopping platform, Meituan. What caught people's attention on social media is his positive attitude in his posts. Last month, he addressed students who recently took China's university entrance exam, telling them not to get discouraged if the scores they get are not so good. See also MOE gives Mobile Guardian the boot after cybersecurity breaches The exam's results are usually released at the end of June. He added in a post on Douyin, 'If you've done well, keep in mind that most people's work doesn't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.' Of his food delivery worker job, he had positive things to say, calling it stable and pointing out that it allows him to support his family. He also noted that his job allows him to get a workout in. 'If you work hard, you can earn a decent living. It's not a bad job,' he said. Despite his positivity, others have taken his story as an opportunity to question the point of education and years of studying, given that he ended up doing food delivery work. /TISG Read also: From delivery to destiny: Food delivery rider rescues kitten on busy road—netizens react () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
Chinese man with PhD from NTU, Masters from Oxford turns delivery rider after 10 failed interviews, Singapore News
A Chinese national who holds a PhD from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and a Master's degree from Oxford turned to food delivery after being rejected from 10 job interviews. Ding Yuanzhao has been deemed "the food delivery worker with the highest education level" due to his academic qualifications. He garnered attention in June for posting a video encouraging students who had completed China's national university entrance exam, which takes place annually in early June with results released at the end of the month. "If you haven't achieved good results, don't be pessimistic or discouraged. If you've done well, keep in mind that most people's work doesn't make much difference in the grand scheme of things," Ding said. The 39-year-old from Fujian province said in a WeChat post in April last year that he used to work on postdoctoral research at the National University of Singapore (NUS), where his contract ended in March last year. He added that despite sending out numerous resumes and attending over 10 interviews, he was unable to secure a suitable job. As a result, Ding began working as a food delivery rider in Singapore, earning about $700 a week by working around 10 hours each day. He has worked for both Grab and Foodpanda, according to his social media posts. "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," he wrote. Ding, who is an avid running enthusiast, added that an advantage of delivering food is getting a workout in at the same time. Addressing those who asked why he did not become a private tutor like many of his highly-educated peers, Ding said that he is "too shy to seek customers" on his own. According to a WeChat post made in 2023, Ding is a Singapore Permanent Resident. He attended Tsinghua and Peking Universities in China before furthering his studies abroad. Multiple media reported that Ding moved back to China and is currently a delivery rider in Beijing for leading shopping platform Meituan. But when contacted by AsiaOne, Ding said that he has not been to Beijing in 10 years. He did not disclose where he is now based. [[nid:719746]]
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Chinese man with Oxford PhD turns delivery rider after 10 failed interviews in Singapore; inspiring thousands online
In today's volatile employment landscape, even top-tier education can't always guarantee job stability. The case of Ding Yuanzhao, a highly qualified Oxford graduate working as a food delivery rider in Singapore, paints a sobering picture of global job market challenges. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite holding degrees from some of the world's most prestigious universities, Ding found himself unemployed after a postdoctoral stint. His story, now going viral, is not just a personal journey—it's a reflection of rising underemployment among highly educated professionals across the world. As competition stiffens, many are turning to the gig economy simply to survive. Ding's situation mirrors a growing global trend of underemployment among overqualified individuals. Whether in the sciences, humanities, or engineering, many highly educated professionals are finding themselves underutilised in the labour market. Economic uncertainty, shrinking academic funding, and misaligned skill demands have pushed even PhD holders into freelance or gig work. Oxford graduate delivers food after struggling to find a job in Singapore According to South China Morning Post (SCMP) until March 2023, Ding worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the National University of Singapore (NUS). After his contract ended, he applied to numerous roles and attended over ten interviews—without success. Faced with financial pressure and limited options, Ding chose to become a food delivery rider in Singapore, marking a stark departure from his academic roots. The decision speaks volumes about the growing relevance and necessity of the gig economy for even the most credentialed individuals. Working 10 hours daily, Ding reportedly earns about SG$700 a week. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While many would find the shift humbling, Ding maintains a grounded outlook. 'It is a stable job. I can support my family. If you work hard, you can earn a decent living,' he shared on social media. He also noted the unexpected perk of physical fitness: 'One advantage of delivering food is that you can get your workout in at the same time.' Source: SCMP Oxford graduate's three prestigious degrees Ding Yuanzhao, 39, is not your average gig worker. Born in China, he boasts a rare academic pedigree, including: A master's degree in biodiversity from Oxford University A master's in energy engineering from Peking University A PhD in biology from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Despite these accomplishments, he has struggled to find a job that matches his expertise. His case underscores the troubling disconnect between elite education and career placement. Source: SCMP Long academic journey of Oxford graduate and why he avoided tutoring work Ding's academic journey began in Fujian Province, China. In 2004, he achieved a near-perfect score of 700 out of 750 in China's gaokao, the country's grueling national college entrance exam. That earned him a place at Tsinghua University, where he studied chemistry. From there, he moved across borders and disciplines, proving himself a top scholar in chemistry, energy, biology, and biodiversity—a rare cross-disciplinary portfolio. Many highly educated professionals in Asia often turn to private tutoring to make ends meet. Ding, however, chose not to. 'I felt too shy to seek customers on my own,' he admitted. His hesitance reflects how emotional and psychological factors—such as confidence, identity, and self-worth—can influence post-academic career choices, especially in unstructured environments. Also Read |
India.com
5 days ago
- Business
- India.com
This man is Oxford graduate, hold many degrees, but delivers food door to door, earns in lakhs due to…, know viral story
Even highly educated individuals find it difficult to find a job these days. Many earn higher education from prominent universities but still can not secure a stable job. This is a similar story of man who graduated from some of the world's most prestigious institutions, securing employment is no longer guaranteed. Oxford Graduate Work As Delivery Boy Ding Yuanzhao is an Oxford University graduate, is now working as a food delivery rider in Singapore due to a lack of job opportunities. According to a report by Hindustan Times citing , the 39-year-old lost his job last year and then turned to food delivery to earn a living. Ding has many degrees from top global universities. He earned a Master's degree in Biodiversity from the University of Oxford, a Master's in Energy Engineering from Peking University, and a PhD in Biology from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Despite his impressive academic background, Ding has struggled to secure a suitable job. According to a report by SCMP , he worked on a postdoctoral research project at the National University of Singapore (NUS), but his contract ended in March. Since then, he has taken up food delivery work. The Oxford graduate sent his CV to several companies and attended ten interviews, but none led to a job offer. Eventually, he registered as a food delivery worker in Singapore. Ding Yuanzhao Earning Per Month Working for around 10 hours a day, Ding earns of 700 Singapore dollars (around Rs 47,000) a week which is nearly Rs 2 lakh a month. On social media, Ding has expressed that there's nothing wrong with the work he's doing. He said, 'It's a stable job. I can support my family with this income. If you work hard, you can earn well. It's not a bad job.' He also added that one benefit of doing food delivery is that it keeps him physically active.
India Today
5 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Chinese man with Oxford degree now works as food delivery rider. His story is viral
The story of a highly-qualified man now working as a food delivery rider in China has triggered a debate about the country's job market and the value of academic Chinese social media sites, Ding Yuanzhao, 39, has been dubbed 'the food delivery worker with the highest education level' after it emerged that he holds degrees from some of the world's most prestigious institutions, including Oxford from the southeastern province of Fujian, Ding's academic journey began when he scored nearly 700 out of 750 in China's rigorous college entrance exam, known as Gaokao, in 2004. This earned him a spot at Tsinghua University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, South China Morning Post reports citing news portal Next, he earned a Master's degree in energy engineering from Peking University, followed by a PhD in biology from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. His academic pursuits didn't end there, as he also received a Master's degree in biodiversity from the University of Oxford in the switching careers, Ding worked in postdoctoral research at the National University of Singapore. But after his contract expired in March 2024, he struggled to find a job despite appearing for more than 10 to his multiple responsibilities, Ding registered as a food delivery rider in Singapore, where he earned around SG$700 (Rs 46,859 approximately) every week by cycling 10 hours a day.'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 said in a social media post, according to the he added a personal benefit to his new routine: 'One advantage of delivering food is that you can get your workout in at the same time.'An avid runner and firm believer in maintaining a positive outlook, Ding offered some advice: 'If you haven't achieved good results, don't be pessimistic or discouraged. If you've done well, keep in mind that most people's work doesn't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.'Ding Yuanzhao, meanwhile, has moved back to China and is currently working as a food delivery worker for Meituan in Beijing.- EndsTune InTrending Reel
