China Focus: Skill swap, new way for young Chinese to seek self-enrichment, connection

BEIJING, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Skill swap, a new way to seek self-enrichment and social connection, is gaining increasing popularity among young people in China.

As a novel form of socializing in the digital era, skill swap aims to enable efficient exchanges of skills and information among strangers who partner through social media platforms, allowing the youth to embrace more possibilities in life.

A freelancer named Song Kairui is a quintessential extrovert and social butterfly. Through his social media accounts, he has already completed 17 offline skill swaps in Beijing, ranging from overseas life guides and behind-the-scenes work experiences to knowledge and techniques useful for photography and psychology. Thanks to such exchanges, he has delved into many fields he once wanted to learn about, but had no way to access.

"There are always moments when one wants to learn something new, but the experience of actually learning them is different," he said, while adding that dialogues with industry insiders have helped him quickly grasp the underlying logic and real-world applications of different skills.

"The learning and socializing patterns of contemporary youth are undergoing profound transformations. In fast-paced urban life, an increasing number of young people are turning to online platforms to find skills exchange partners, using their own areas of expertise to trade for opportunities to explore new fields of interest," said Chen Dan, a lecturer at Beihang University in Beijing.

This trend is particularly obvious on youth-favored social media platforms such as Rednote and Weibo, where there are tens of millions of posts about skills swapping. In the discussion area of such posts, comments offering other exchange options can always be seen, reflecting the great enthusiasm shared by these young people.

Inspired by the trend, Pan Menghan, a PhD student who wanted to enrich her "all-about-study" life, decided to give it a try. "I can teach data analysis and academic writing. Seeking basic fitness and hiking guidance," she posted tentatively.

To her surprise, over a dozen responses poured in within days. Pan eventually teamed up with a member of a university outdoors club. They agreed to meet regularly, with odd weeks set aside for climbing, and even weeks focused on research assistance. "What we have exchanged are not just skills, but lifestyles," she said.

This new way of connecting is now enabling more young people like Pan to break from routine and build meaningful, unexpected bonds. Meanwhile, some also see it as a method for obtaining career instruction and industry insights.

"Like many university students, I knew little about the industry I will step into after graduation, but a swap with a short-video entrepreneur has dispelled my anxiety and confusion, and helped me form a clear vision of the future," said Li Xiang, a freshman majoring in new media.

The 40-minute conversation Li had with the stranger went unexpectedly smoothly, as he gained first-hand experience of short video content creation, secured personal career development advice, and was even invited to join an online group of creators. In return, Li shared his ideas about the industry with the entrepreneur, who was eager to seek inspiration from younger generations.

According to a recent survey conducted by China Youth Daily, over 90 percent of young Chinese would like to exchange skills with others, while nearly 75 percent see skill swap as a new way for young people to socialize.

For half of survey respondents, workplace expertise such as analyzing data and compiling reports, as well as life skills like cooking and do-it-yourself repairs, are what they want to acquire most, while additional know-how in fields like sports, arts, artificial intelligence and foreign languages is also welcome, the survey said.

Different from paid courses, the real value of skill swap often lies not in acquiring quantifiable certificates, but in the experience itself.

As reported by Guangming Daily, many young Chinese believe that the greatest reward is seldom a dramatic leap in a particular skill, but rather something more modest and personal, such as "the courage to start speaking English," "the sense of accomplishment from teaching someone to write calligraphy," or "the delight in discovering the sparks of thought across different cultural backgrounds."

"For me, skills exchange is more about making friends than just picking up a new skill," said Lin Tianwen, who is in her twenties.

"Many young people harbor a strong desire for social connection and hope to find like-minded individuals for meaningful interaction, and skill swap offers us a low-cost and efficient way to do so," Lin added.

Beyond online platforms, the skill swap craze is also sweeping across universities and neighborhoods. For example, Tongji University in Shanghai and Xiamen University in Fujian Province have launched activities such as "Skill Swap Fair" and "Skill Swap Day." Also, a community in Liaoning Province has set up an online skills base for locals keen to list their expertise, with options ranging from household services and family education to professional skills and cultural or athletic specialties, thus laying the groundwork for future endeavors in skill swapping.

"Swapping skills via communities feels more reliable and reassuring, as all people are required to use their real identities," said a community resident surnamed Zhong. ■