Chinese man with PhD from NTU, Masters from Oxford turns delivery rider after 10 failed interviews, Singapore News
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.
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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com
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