An Exploration of Building a System for Integrating Ideological and Political Education into Career Guidance Courses for College Students at Agricultural Institutions ()
1. Introduction
Employment is the cornerstone of people’s livelihoods and the foundation of governance. The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China focuses on the challenges, hot topics, and key issues surrounding college graduate employment, and outlines scientific, practical, and forward-looking policies and decisions to ensure the promotion of employment for college graduates in China. In 2020, the Ministry of Education’s “Guidelines for Integrating Ideological and Political Education into Higher Education Curricula” stated that the integration of ideological and political education into curricula should be comprehensively advanced in all universities and across all disciplines and majors (Chu et al., 2022). Universities should deepen educational and teaching reforms, fully tap into the ideological and political resources of various courses, effectively leverage the educational role of each course, and comprehensively improve the quality of talent cultivation. The college student career guidance course is a mandatory course that students must take before entering the job search phase; it is also an essential pathway for fostering students’ attitudes toward employment and career choices, guiding them to establish their ideals and aspirations, and promoting their full and high-quality employment(Chen, 2022).
2. Objectives and Approach for Incorporating Ideological
and Political Education into Career Guidance Courses for College Students at Agricultural Institutions
At agricultural colleges, career guidance courses for college students are mostly general education electives. Their scope of instruction covers the entire campus, encompassing a broad range of specialized knowledge, and is characterized by its distinct breadth and general education focus, It demonstrates outstanding effectiveness in terms of knowledge, skills, and student development. In this new era, exploring the development of a system for integrating ideological and political education into career guidance courses for college students at agricultural institutions holds great potential and promise. We must draw upon the spiritual essence relevant to the development of the agricultural sector from the spiritual heritage of the Communist Party of China, with a particular focus on the “Beidahuang Spirit.” As an integral part of the revolutionary patriotic spirit and one of the great spirits of the Communist Party of China, the Beidahuang Spirit originated in the practical experience of agricultural production and daily life, developed during the development and construction of the Beidahuang region, and was elevated through the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. It is a precious spiritual quality nurtured through agricultural labor following the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Beidahuang Spirit has taken on new significance amid the surging tide of modernization. In 2022, the General Office of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee issued the “Letter Regarding Feedback on the Formulation of the Basic Essence of the Beidahuang Spirit,” The core essence of the Beidahuang Spirit is described as “self-reliance, hard work, a pioneering spirit, and a willingness to make sacrifices.” The new formulation adds the phrase “self-reliance,” which not only provides a more comprehensive and systematic summary of the Beidahuang Spirit but also reflects the importance of “self-reliance” in building socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era. This demonstrates that in the new era, we must continue to thoroughly carry forward and promote the Spirit of Beidahuang. The Spirit of Beidahuang will undoubtedly provide even stronger spiritual momentum and play an even greater role in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is evident, therefore, that carrying on and promoting the “Beidahuang Spirit” is not only the responsibility and mission of institutions of higher education in Heilongjiang, but also a contemporary issue worthy of in-depth study and ongoing practice by agricultural institutions nationwide, In particular, in the integration of ideological and political education into career guidance courses for college students, we must continue to deepen the educational role of the “Beidahuang Spirit” to cultivate generation after generation of agricultural professionals imbued with the essence of the Beidahuang Spirit (Chu et al., 2020).
There are three main objectives for integrating ideological and political education into career guidance courses for college students at agricultural institutions: knowledge objectives, skill objectives, and ideological and political objectives. The learning objectives require college students to flexibly apply theories such as the Holland Occupational Interest Test (Liu et al., 2022), the MBTI personality test, the Minnesota Adaptation Theory, and the person-job fit theory to explore themselves and the outside world, Gain a comprehensive understanding of your personality, interests, values, and abilities; develop an objective understanding of the industry, your major, and related employment topics; familiarize yourself with national employment policies, laws, and regulations; and deepen your understanding of the employment landscape and employment pressures, Master the comprehensive qualities required for job hunting and the current job-search methods, and acquire the skills and knowledge necessary for the job search.
The learning objectives aim to comprehensively enhance college students’ overall qualities through a combination of theory and practice, help them understand the interview process and job-search etiquette, master basic written exam and interview skills, and become proficient in preparing job-search materials such as resumes, cover letters, and self-recommendation letters, Building on a foundation of basic job-search skills, students will be able to effectively engage in self-exploration and external exploration, master methods and approaches for independent learning, cultivate team spirit and a domestic and international perspective, and possess strong self-directed and lifelong learning abilities. In terms of ideological and political education objectives, the “Beidahuang Spirit” should be incorporated into course instruction as a unique cultural tradition and educational resource, internalize these as the most cohesive and enduring cultural traits and emotional anchors; cultivate a new generation of high-quality agricultural professionals who understand and love agriculture and embody the spirit of the Beidahuang; and strengthen college students’ sense of regional, cultural, and emotional belonging to agriculture and rural areas; This translates into fostering and guiding college students to understand the history of the “Three Rural Issues” and China’s agricultural civilization, carry forward the spiritual and cultural legacy of the Beidahuang, and cultivate a lofty aspiration to take root in and serve the rural revitalization effort (Zheng, 2022).
The design of ideological and political education in career guidance courses for college students at agricultural universities primarily focuses on optimizing and reforming the career guidance curriculum system, fully integrating the “Beidahuang Spirit” into the development of ideological and political education within these courses, Identify and distill the educational elements of the Beidahuang Spirit in areas such as instructional design, course content, syllabi, and team-building activities; integrate these with the Beidahuang Spirit Educational Initiative and the “Seven-Color Rainbow” College Student Quality and Competency Enhancement Program, Provide career awareness and employment guidance to different student groups in a tiered, phased, and step-by-step manner to enhance college students’ employability and strengthen the seamless integration between formal and extracurricular learning, educate and guide students to “learn, carry forward, practice, and promote” the Beidahuang Spirit in their daily lives and work, and encourage them, after graduation, to take the stage of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers; enter the main battlefield of rural areas; and contribute to the great cause of agriculture, “Comprehensively promote student employment and entrepreneurship in the ‘agriculture, rural areas, and farmers’ sector to achieve more full and high-quality employment for students (Chu, 2018).”
First, by integrating the “Beidahuang Spirit” into the entire teaching process, agricultural colleges and universities are incorporating ideological and political education into their career guidance courses for college students by combining theory with practice, online and offline learning, and lectures with interactive activities. Teaching methods include classroom lectures, analysis of typical case studies, scenario-based simulations, group discussions, role-playing, and social surveys.
Second, we must comprehensively enhance the effectiveness of fostering the “Beidahuang Spirit” in education by focusing the development of ideological and political education in the curriculum on hands-on and practical instruction, We should strengthen practical training in mock interviews, on-site training at spring job fairs, and mock written exams, guiding students to explore their personal aspirations, clarify their job-search goals, and develop a positive attitude toward employment through hands-on experience, Align one’s knowledge and skills with the supply and demand of rural development; align one’s ideals and aspirations with the cause of rural revitalization; and integrate one’s pursuit of personal value with the nation’s call to action.
Third, we will establish a flagship brand of “ideological and political education” courses in career guidance for college students at agricultural institutions by implementing blended learning reforms that combine online and offline instruction, by utilizing appropriate digital teaching tools and integrating them with the practical development of college students’ career guidance courses, we can advance the integration of ideological and political education into the curriculum, Build a brand of high-quality online courses for theoretical subjects, and shift theoretical instruction to an online format in the course schedule, integrated with hands-on, in-person instruction, the program employs a teaching model featuring mutual selection between teachers and students, flipped classrooms, and blended, collaborative learning to establish a “flagship course” brand for employment guidance with ideological and political education for college students at agricultural institutions, Promote the comprehensive implementation of ideological and political education in the curriculum across all agricultural colleges and universities, fostering innovation in the four aspects of its philosophy, content, models, and methods to enhance the effectiveness and educational direction of this initiative.
3. Instructional Design for Incorporating Ideological and
Political Education into Career Guidance Courses for College Students at Agricultural Institutions
The design of ideological and political education in career guidance courses for college students at agricultural universities follows the principle of coordinated interaction between formal and informal learning settings, It is structured into one core component (First Classroom) and seven supplementary components (Second Classroom); the core component involves the creation of categorized student profiles for third-year students, The program also includes theoretical instruction and practical training through mock interviews, supplemented by “one-on-one” personalized career counseling and job-search skills training. The course employs a blended learning approach that combines in-person instruction with online supplementary learning, In the development of ideological and political education integrated into the curriculum, the “Beidahuang Spirit” will be incorporated into the entire process and all aspects of classroom instruction to cultivate a new generation of high-quality professionals who understand and love agriculture and are imbued with the “Beidahuang Spirit.”
The classroom instruction for the career guidance course for college students at agricultural universities covers six major areas: the job market and employment policies, the job search process, job search preparation, resume writing, interview skills, and interview practice. The course’s ideological and political education program is structured around a total of 20 class hours, comprising 16 hours of theory and 4 hours of practical training (mock interviews). Assessment will be conducted through formative assessment, with the following weightings: class attendance (20%), homework assignments (30%), resume preparation (30%), and mock interviews (20%).
1) Overall Design of the “First Classroom” for Career Guidance for College Students at Agricultural Universities
The curriculum for the “Employment Situation and Employment Policies” module focuses on interpreting the current situation and policies in the agricultural sector, with an emphasis on analyzing talent demand in the agricultural sector, fully tap into the educational elements of the Beidahuang Spirit found in alumni, corporate, and data resources, and leverage the inspirational power of role models by organizing activities such as “peer influence initiatives,” “alumni success stories sessions,” and “special promotional videos,” using employment data on school graduates in agriculture-related industries, employment data from reclaimed land areas, and employment data from national agricultural hardship regions classified as Category III or higher as a basis for teaching, Showcase the distinctive educational approach of agricultural colleges that embodies the “Beidahuang Spirit,” and guide students to develop a firm commitment to pursuing careers in the agricultural sector, agribusiness, and rural communities.
The “Employment Process” module provides a detailed overview of the general job-search process for students, employment channels, the graduate employment contract process, and graduation-related documentation. The focus is on helping students understand the employment processes at the national level, within agricultural enterprises, and at the school, and guiding them to adjust their mindset and calmly prepare for job hunting, It also focuses on explaining the employment processes for policy-related positions in the agricultural sector, at agricultural enterprises, and in national and local government agencies involved in agriculture, guiding college students to focus their job search on the agricultural sector and laying the foundation for building a talent pipeline in this field.
The curriculum for the Employment Preparation module primarily covers psychological adjustment for employment, career exploration, exploring employment pathways, and gathering employment information. The focus is on helping students master methods of psychological adjustment, establish ambitious career goals centered on rural revitalization and serving the development of modern large-scale agriculture, and gain familiarity with various employment avenues and information-gathering methods. In particular, by leveraging the employment resources in the agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries sectors established through the university and its alumni network, and using agricultural enterprises such as the Beidahuang Group, New Hope Liuhe, and major farms as case studies, we aim to strengthen students’ commitment to a career in agriculture.
The curriculum for the resume-writing module is primarily designed to enhance students’ awareness of employment competition and their rights, help them master resume-writing methods and techniques, and focus on creating resumes that embody the spirit of Beidahuang, by selecting high-quality resumes from candidates who successfully secured positions at agricultural companies as case studies for detailed analysis, and by inviting outstanding alumni and entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector to share their resume-writing tips and insights on the workplace, Guide students to put down roots in the “agriculture, rural areas, and farmers” sector after graduation and contribute to rural development and construction.
The “Interview Skills” module primarily covers pre-interview preparation, types of interviews, strategies for group interviews, and what to do after an interview. Drawing on classical texts and references, this analysis examines classic interview questions in the agricultural sector. It provides a detailed breakdown of the relevant processes and techniques for interviews at state-owned enterprises (using the Beidahuang Group as an example), agriculture-related private enterprises (using New Hope Group Co., Ltd. as an example), and policy-driven positions (such as the Western Development Program and the University Student Village Officials Program). The aim is to help students apply interview etiquette and techniques flexibly in real-world contexts, thereby supporting their success in interviews with agricultural enterprises and within the industry.
The instructional content of the interview training module primarily consists of practical activities such as one-on-one stress interviews and leaderless group discussions, Invite HR professionals from agriculture-related enterprises and industries to simulate real-life interview questions, processes, and scenarios in the agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fisheries sectors, helping college students gain early exposure to the interview and recruitment processes of these enterprises and industries and improve their ability to handle pressure. At the same time, they led college students to participate in online job fairs specifically for agriculture and forestry institutions, as well as in-person spring job fairs held on campus, allowing them to get a head start on experiencing the job market and understanding the talent needs of the agriculture and forestry sectors.
2) Evaluation Feedback on the “First Classroom” Career Guidance Program for College Students at Agricultural Universities
Student evaluations serve as an important reference and basis for optimizing ideological and political education in the curriculum. In the integration of ideological and political education into career guidance courses for college students at agricultural institutions, there is a greater emphasis on the educational function while building upon traditional methods of evaluating student learning outcomes. At the same time, in terms of evaluation methods, there is a greater focus on increasing the proportion of formative assessments conducted throughout the course. When evaluating students, it is important to combine self-assessment with peer assessment, placing emphasis on the processes of self-assessment and peer assessment. Particular attention should be given to students’ self-assessments regarding their job-seeking skills, personal insights, and the development of the “Beidahuang Spirit.” On the other hand, teachers should make effective use of “student growth portfolios” to maintain individualized records of each student’s learning process. The portfolio should highlight the learning outcomes students have achieved from the start to the end of the course, enabling them to gradually master job-seeking skills through the college career guidance course, enhance their employability in a complex job market, and cultivate a spirit of “hard work and pioneering spirit.”
Teaching reflection is a crucial component in the continuous improvement and ongoing progress of curriculum-based ideological and political education. Reflections on the integration of ideological and political education into career guidance courses for college students at agricultural universities should be conducted comprehensively, taking into account both the course outcomes at each stage and the overall outcomes at the end of the course cycle. The effectiveness of each phase of the course should be evaluated in light of student classroom participation and post-class feedback, with a focus on reflecting on how teaching methods and the classroom atmosphere influence learning outcomes and making proactive adjustments accordingly. The effectiveness of the course following the completion of the program can be assessed by considering the number of people employed in agricultural enterprises and the industry (particularly employment in reclaimed land areas, policy-driven rural employment, and employment in agriculture-related enterprises), the number of students expressing interest in careers in agriculture-related industries, and feedback from experts and scholars—all of which can be used to comprehensively evaluate the quality of the course’s integration of political education, Based on the results of data and feedback, adjustments will be made to the syllabus and course content to optimize the effectiveness of the career guidance course for college students.
The development of extracurricular courses for college students’ career guidance should be fully integrated with the university’s “Beidahuang Spirit” educational initiative. The design of all components of the “Second Classroom” program should fully incorporate the educational elements of the Beidahuang Spirit, establishing a “three-all” educational framework—involving everyone, throughout the entire process, and across all dimensions—to fully leverage the educational role of the Beidahuang Spirit, Strengthen education on ideals and convictions among college students; vigorously foster and put into practice the core socialist values; promote the fine traditions of Chinese culture, revolutionary culture, and advanced socialist culture; and focus on cultivating high-quality agricultural and forestry professionals who understand and care about agriculture. The optimization of the curriculum system, along with personalized one-on-one career counseling and job-search skills training, serves as an excellent complement to classroom instruction, These include: Graduate Employment Guidance Month, College Student Career Planning Experience Camp, Student Career Development Skills Workshops, Resume Writing and Mock Job Interview Competition, College Student Career Planning and Mock Job Interview Competition, Industry-Major-Employment Analysis Competition, University-Industry Cooperation Forum, Employment Mentor Pairing Program, and Assistance Initiatives for Students Facing Employment Difficulties. The specific content incorporated into each chapter is as follows:
1) Employment Outlook and Policy Support Measures
The supplementary component on employment trends and policies is primarily designed to ensure that all students master the relevant knowledge. As part of this effort, two extracurricular activities are organized: a mentoring program pairing students with career advisors and a support program for students facing employment challenges.
The “Employment Mentor Pairing” program invites outstanding recent and past graduates in agriculture-related fields, corporate HR professionals, and entrepreneurs to share their job-hunting experiences and career insights with college students, We also organized face-to-face exchanges and interactions, pairing students one-on-one with invited guests based on the students’ career preferences to help them secure employment. The advantage of this event is that it provides a platform for career mentors and graduates to engage in equal dialogue, moving away from the passive and tedious knowledge-transfer approach typical of traditional lectures, and fully leveraging the career mentors’ extensive knowledge, experience, and job-search expertise in the agriculture-related sector, to help students gain a deeper understanding of the agriculture sector from a different perspective, be inspired by diverse perspectives, and promptly design and plan their career paths.
Support initiatives for groups facing employment challenges are primarily tailored to the specific circumstances of graduates, including family hardships, financial difficulties, psychological issues, and employment challenges, Provide categorized guidance and support to students facing genuine difficulties, with a focus on launching a series of support initiatives for students facing both financial hardship and employment challenges, as well as female college students seeking employment. The main objectives of the initiative are to enhance students’ awareness of and readiness for employment, provide them with targeted job information, actively change their attitudes toward employment, and promote high-quality employment opportunities for students.
2) Support Services for the Job Placement Process
A key component of the employment process support program is the organization of industry-academia cooperation forums at agricultural colleges. These forums primarily involve agricultural colleges inviting a large number of agriculture-related enterprises and institutions to campus on a regular basis to conduct recruitment presentations, facilitate industry-academia exchanges, establish partnerships, and engage in joint initiatives. By bringing agriculture-related enterprises into schools and having schools engage with these enterprises, we can, through this collaborative effort, enhance students’ awareness of employment opportunities and help them understand the relevant employment processes. On the one hand, the school introduces the pool of graduates and their majors to agriculture-related enterprises and signs school-enterprise cooperation agreements with them; on the other hand, representatives from these enterprises offer constructive suggestions regarding the college’s talent development program. By conducting corporate presentations through a “students stay put, companies come to them” approach, all students at the school can learn about the current hiring requirements of agriculture-related companies and industries.
3) Employment Preparation Support Services
The employment preparation support component is a key element of the integration of ideological and political education into career guidance courses for college students, the supplementary activities for the “Second Classroom” program should keep pace with the times, feature rich content, and employ innovative formats. Through initiatives such as a Career Guidance Month and a Career Guidance Competition, students are supported in understanding the course material and mastering relevant knowledge.
Employment Guidance Month primarily features specialized training seminars on employment guidance, conducted through a combination of “bringing in” and “going out,” as well as online and offline methods. On the one hand, we invite experienced HR professionals from agriculture-related industries to come to campus to conduct specialized training; on the other hand, we take students to agriculture-related enterprises and the front lines of production and daily life in the industry, where they can experience, learn about, and gain insights firsthand, as well as attend lectures given by front-line staff. On the one hand, we are developing high-quality online specialized courses for students to take; on the other hand, we are leveraging the faculty resources from the school’s “Career Planning and Employment” courses to host in-person career seminars.
The Career Guidance Competition primarily consists of five events: the College Student Career Planning and Mock Job Fair, the Industry-Major-Employment Analysis Competition, the Resume Competition, the Stress Interview Competition, and the Agriculture-Related Knowledge and Skills Competition, the competition is organized in conjunction with the “Career Planning and Vocational Guidance” courses, adhering to the principle of using competitions to promote learning and training. It aims to comprehensively enhance students’ employability, guide college students to prioritize academic planning, emphasize job-seeking practices, and advance their career development, thereby helping them further clarify their career paths and define their personal development directions.
4) Resume Preparation Assistance
The resume-building support program primarily organizes various activities centered around the College Student Resume Design Competition, guiding students to organize their personal experiences and honors earned during college and to identify their skills and abilities, accurately identify and distill the highlights and unique characteristics that embody the “Beidahuang Spirit,” and use the competition to provide students with a platform to showcase their individual talents and engage in mutual learning and exchange, thereby laying a solid foundation for their future job searches and careers.
5) Interview Skills Support Session
The interview skills support program primarily consists of a career planning experience camp for college students. The camp adopts a game-based challenge format, emphasizing both the gaming experience and educational effectiveness. The content for each segment of the event was drawn from the various assessment components of the “Career and Development Planning” course, with the aim of combining theoretical learning with hands-on experience.
6) Interview Training Support Sessions
The interview training support program is primarily organized around four major training topics: new media skills development, leadership development for student leaders, employment skills and competencies development, and office software skills development. The focus is on comprehensively enhancing students’ various skills for job interviews through workshops designed to improve their career development capabilities, ensuring that students possess the basic competencies while further enhancing their overall qualities.
The key to integrating the Beidahuang Spirit into the “Second Classroom” for college student career guidance lies in seamlessly connecting the Beidahuang Spirit with campus culture and classroom content. Campus culture and classroom content have a profound influence on ideological and political education, and promoting the “Beidahuang Spirit” plays a pivotal role in upholding the core socialist values and passing down China’s outstanding revolutionary culture. The Beidahuang Spirit has been incorporated into the extracurricular activities of college students’ career guidance programs through tangible, external forms, such as bulletin board displays and documentary screenings. While ensuring the necessary external conditions are in place, we will integrate the Beidahuang Spirit into extracurricular activities based on actual circumstances, incorporating it into events such as the “College Student Career Planning Experience Camp” and the “College Student Career Planning and Mock Job Fair Competition.” Through social practice programs—which serve as a “second classroom”—we distill the values and ideals of the Beidahuang Spirit, enabling students to fully understand the intrinsic connection between the Beidahuang Spirit and their future job searches, and fostering a sense of social responsibility among college students to serve and contribute to society.
4. Summary and Reflection
In the process of establishing a system for integrating ideological and political education into career guidance courses for college students at agricultural universities, the identification and incorporation of ideological and political elements are of the utmost importance. The “Beidahuang Spirit”, which is the focus of this study, is a regional spiritual element that originated, developed, and took root in agriculture; it embodies the distinctive spiritual character and inspiring power of Chinese farmers. This plays a crucial role in guiding college students to embrace the concept of taking root in “agriculture, rural areas, and farmers” and pursuing careers that serve rural communities, as well as in fostering sound values among them. At the same time, in building the system for integrating ideological and political education into college students’ career guidance courses, it is essential to define clear objectives, establish a clear framework, and outline the implementation steps. Emphasis should be placed on fully integrating ideological and political elements into every stage, chapter, and section of the curriculum to construct a comprehensive system for integrating ideological and political education into the curriculum. To ensure that elements of ideological and political education are present everywhere and that such education takes place at all times, we must make effective use of the collaborative mechanism between the “first classroom” and the “second classroom”, fully leverage the practical effectiveness of the “second classroom” in ideological and political education, achieve an educational outcome where 1 + 1 > 2, and establish the collaboration between the two classrooms as a routine and long-term mechanism for integrating ideological and political education into career guidance courses for college students at agricultural institutions.
Funding Projects
This paper is a phased research outcome of the Daqing Municipal Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Research General Project: “A Study on the Resource Utilisation of Agricultural Waste in Daqing and Pathways to Realising its Ecological Value under the ‘Dual Carbon’ Framework” (Project No.: DSGB2026039); Daqing Municipal Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Research Project A Study on the “Short Videos + E-commerce Live Streaming” Development Model for Rural Agricultural Products in Daqing City in the Context of the Digital Economy (DSGB2025195).