In a recent bid consulting conference of the "Forty-Fifty Program," held by the Shanghai Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau at its job-training center, thousands of people turned up seeking good investment items.

The Forty-Fifty Program was specially designed to help those laid-off, especially women over the age of forty and men over fifty, who find it difficult to find new jobs. All the investment items are selected from the suggestions by the public and experts.

Since Shanghai first launched the Forty-Fifty Program last year, the Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau have approved 1,214 projects. Among them, over 900 have been carried out, helping more than 40,000 senior laid-off workers to be reemployed. Besides, more and more Shanghainese are interested in starting their own business.

One year's practice proves that the Forty-Fifty Program is an effective reemployment channel that benefits enterprises, society and laid-off workers alike.

It is said that, 93 projects will be introduced currently for bidding, mainly in the processing industry, along with several public service projects provided by local government.

Many companies have actively responded to the Program. Among them, there are 59 private enterprises, including newly emerging private enterprises, like Xiechuang Ostrich of Pudong district and Qiansi Decoration, along with outside enterprises that are gaining success in Shanghai, such as Laomofang bean products, Baijiali oil paint, Dazuowei copper pipeline, etc.

In addition, joint-venture enterprises, like Kodak, have offered their own projects. Some projects designed by laid-off workers, and approved for their originality and feasibility, were also introduced this time.

"Not all them will bring success," Sheng Zuhuan, the chief of the Shanghai Employment Guidance Center, stressed. "The bid is like love affair; after they fall in love at first sight, both sides still need to exchange their ideas to understand each other.

Therefore, the Labor and Social Security Bureau has set forth the principle of training before any business is started. In the bid consulting conference held recently, 15 experts and nine training institutions were invited to give explanations to the bidders, who can also get training assisted by the government.

(china.org.cn by Tang Fuchun, August 23, 2002)