Unable to find job, Oxford graduate works as delivery driver
What's the story
Ding Yuanzhao, a 39-year-old Oxford University graduate, is working as a food delivery rider in Singapore after failing to find a job. Despite his impressive academic credentials, which include a master's degree in biodiversity from Oxford and a doctorate in biology from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Ding has struggled to find suitable employment. He had previously worked on postdoctoral research at the National University of Singapore (NUS) until his contract ended in March last year.
Job search
How he landed the delivery job
After his contract ended in March last year, Ding started sending his CV to several companies and attended 10 interviews. However, he was unsuccessful in landing a job. According to a 163.com report, he could have chosen to work as a private tutor. However, he felt "too shy to seek customers on his own." Eventually, he registered as a food delivery worker. By working 10 hours a day, Ding earns around SG$700 ($548) a week from his delivery job.
Education
Delivery man's educational background
"One advantage of delivering food is that you can get your workout in at the same time," Ding reportedly joked on social media. Born in China's Fujian province, Ding graduated from Tsinghua University with a bachelor's degree in chemistry after scoring an impressive 700 out of 750 on China's national university entrance exam, gaokao, often referred to as the "toughest exam in the world He then studied at Peking University and Oxford before completing his doctorate at NTU.