Reports that hyped this summer as the worst job season for university graduates seemed premature, at least for students at vocational schools.

A record 6.99 million new graduates are expected to try their luck this summer, while job openings dropped 15% from last year, creating intense competition.

Graduates from vocational schools, who are trained to be technicians, or so-called blue-collar workers, are being snapped up, while their peers who hold a bachelor’s or even higher degree are struggling to become an office worker, China Youth Daily reported.

The employment rate stood at 95% among graduates from technical secondary schools, according to a report by the National Association of Vocational Education, while a Mycos survey shows only 38% of fresh graduates from universities landed a job.

The National Skill Contest, open to vocational school students, is an example of how popular future technicians are in the job market. State-owned companies even offered a 6,000-yuan monthly paycheck, an income many fresh university graduates can only look up to, to medal winners.

The contest, also serving as a bridge between tech students and prospective employers, was held on Wednesday in Tianjin.

Students didn't feel stressed over the tough job market, and many engineering students got job offers long before graduation, said Tian Hongjun, from the career office at Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College.

Restructuring of China's industry created a demand for skilled workforce, making the trend inevitable, analysts said.