When Xie Bin got his part-time job as a computer instructor with the help of Zhuxin Human Resource Service Co Ltd, the Shanda University freshman said he was grateful to the company for a chance to taste life in the outside world.
"In the past, students have found part-time jobs in tutoring, distribution or translation through placement agencies. But some agencies defraud students," he said. "Now with the help of Zhuxin Human Resource Service Co Ltd, I don't worry anymore."
Supported by Yangpu District government, Zhuxin Human Resource Service Co Ltd, with a total investment of about 300,000 yuan (US$36,145), started operations in March, with its aim to provide a broader range of part-time job  opportunities for students than universities.
The company provides work-experience placements, sometimes in government departments, for undergraduates to help them develop practical skills. Classroom teaching still focuses more on book reading than on practical skills.
"Most local students are bookworms and lack practical experience" said Sun Jinling, director of Zhuxin Human Resource Service.
"We help undergraduates bring their abilities to full play, hoping they can contribute to the district's development."
Yangpu, with several prestigious universities and about 120,000 undergraduates, is striving to become the "brains" of Shanghai.
Because graduates face a tough employment situation, dozens of undergraduates in the district are seeking part-time jobs to get work experience, which will benefit them after graduation.
Part-time jobs can also solve underprivileged students' financial problems.
The service company has placed nearly 1,100 students in fields such as tutoring, marketing and software designing.
Nearly 400 students, specializing in English, computers and communications, have been placed at a technology incubator base in Wujiaochang, close to Fudan University.
 Using its specialized Web portal (www.yangpuhr.com), students can find the posts they need.
Sun said the part-time market hasn't been regulated and some students don't know how to protect their legal rights.
"Some students aren't even placed in a job after paying the fee to a placement agency," the director said.
The company signs agreements with students to ensure their working hours and payments, benefiting both the students and the companies.
Payment for part-time jobs is required to be at least five yuan an hour.
However, some big companies are unwilling to give part-time jobs to undergraduates because of their uncertain working hours and fewer practical skills.
Sun said taking on work-experience students can save companies both time and money. Companies often go on to offer permanent jobs to well-performing students after they graduate.