上纽大校友获全国首张本科学历外国留学生工作许可证
上海纽约大学2017届校友Tyler Rhorick，于今年5月底顺利毕业，获得本科学位。毕业之际，他还拿到全国首张本科学历外国留学生工作许可证。此前，要获得在中国的就业资格，外国留学生须具有两年境外工作经验，或拥有硕士及以上学历。近期，浦东新区推出了提高海外人才通行和工作便利度的九条措施，放宽外国留学生直接就业。
这项新措施也意味着，在上海纽约大学就读的国际学生，只要在毕业后一年内，到上海自贸试验区或张江高新区就业，并满足相关法律、法规条件，即可申请办理工作许可证，无需回国工作两年后再到中国找工作。
此次新措施也是上海自2015年夏，发布了更加开放的海外人才引进实施办法，致力于将上海建设成具全球影响力的科技创新中心后的又一动作。当天公布推行的九条措施，也标志着浦东加大全球人才的吸引力度，聚天下英才而用之。
Tyler Rhorick将担任上海纽约大学学生事务部新生项目助理。他与我们分享了他在上海四年来学习生活，如今获得人生第一份工作的历程。
Q: 为什么选择在上海工作？
对我来说，上海是我的很多个第一次——我第一次乘坐国际航班就是来上海的；来上海也是我申请第一本护照的原因（现在，这本护照已经盖满了章）；在这里，我成为了上海纽约大学的首届本科生，于今年5月毕业；也是在上海，我开启了自己的职业生涯，成为上海纽约大学学生事务部的一位全职工作人员。
Q: 成为获得此类工作许可证的首个外国留学生，感觉如何？
非常兴奋！之前，见到我的人都说，因为这是新政策，所以申请的过程会比较复杂。不过我没有太过担心。当初，成为上纽大的首届学生，就是一个一直见证和参与发展、变化、成长的过程，我学会了随着事物的发展进行相应的调整。上周一，当我得知会举行一个授予工作许可证的仪式时，我以为是很常规的一个活动，随后我才意识到，原来我是中国第一个、其实也是全球首个获得本科学历外国留学生工作许可证的人。整个申请过程中，上纽大的人力资源部对我的帮助很大。我们来来回回通了至少77份邮件。
Q: 学校提供了哪些指导帮助？
我与职业发展中心（CDC）的Jane Hsu Southwick进行了交谈。当时，我在加纳进行海外学习，在一个环境组织当社交媒体实习生。我很喜欢这份实习工作，但我还有更感兴趣的事，比如参与学生会的活动，负责社团的运营，与不同的人接触、交流等等。和她通话时，我跟她讲了自己对于做社交媒体工作的一些忧虑，并告诉她，自己更倾向于做一些和学生打交道的工作。她说，“Tyler，有一份很适合你——这就是我们上纽大的工作！”她的这番话，让我想到了那些在上纽大工作的人，四年来如何全力地帮助我，指导我。于是，我就开始查找学校的工作职位。
Q: 然后发生了什么？
能在上纽大、在我的母校工作，我知道，我肯定会喜欢这份工作的。这里的经历对我来说无与伦比，所以，我也想给其他学生提供帮助。虽然有时也会面临困难，但这一过程是有价值、有意义的。我看到上纽大学生事务部有新的职位。当时我以为，要申请工作许可证是不太现实的，因为政策要求外国留学生须有两年境外工作经验，或是有硕士学历。但是听说政策有变，我就申请了。
Q: 你的工作职责是什么？
我现在和校园大使一起工作，联系新生，给他们提供帮助。每位校园大使都会联系7名国际学生，和他们通过Skype进行交谈，答疑解惑。我也为新生提供一些行政、后勤方面的帮助，例如解答有关签证的问题，告诉他们如何与感兴趣的体育社团取得联系，为他们提供所需的各种资源，让他们在就读前做好充分准备。
我很开心能为新生提供帮助。他们正处在一个关键时期，心里正想着，“我到底该不该这么做。这么做值得吗？”我希望新生能平稳过渡、适应新的校园生活。只要他们坚持到最后，就能认识到，能来上纽大读书是件非常值得的事。
Q: 你打算在上海待多久？
我的合同是三年，然后再作打算。我很喜欢上海，每次出国旅行，我都会很想上海。这里是第一次让我感觉像家一样的地方，是我作为一个成年人，一个独立的个体，远离父母开始成长打拼的地方。无论在世界的任何地方，我都会想着，要回到上海。
扫二维码，看浦东电视台对Tyler Rhorick的采访：
China issues first foreign graduate work permit to
NYU Shanghai alumnus
NYU Shanghai alumnus Tyler Rhorick ‘17 has become the world’s first overseas student to obtain a work permit in China upon graduating with a bachelor’s degree, after a recent change in the law removed the requirement that all international graduates have at least two year’s work experience or a master’s degree.
Under the new system, international students can now apply for a work permit to work in Shanghai’s Free Trade Zone or Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park within one year of earning their bachelor’s degree.
The move is aimed at boosting the city’s talent pool as it seeks to become a hub for technology and innovation.
Rhorick will be working as an Associate for New Student Programs at NYU Shanghai’s Pudong campus. Here, he shares his journey to obtaining his first job in China...
Q: Why work in Shanghai?
Shanghai has been a place of many firsts for me—it was the destination of my first ever international flight, the reason I applied for my first passport (pages now all filled); it was where I graduated this May as part of NYU Shanghai’s inaugural class, and it’s where I will now navigate the journey of my first full-time job as a part of NYU Shanghai’s Student Life.
Q: How do you feel about being the first foreign graduate to have this kind of visa?
It’s exciting! Everyone said it was going to be a tedious process since it was so new. I was okay with that. Being part of this school’s first class, I’ve learned how to move with things as they develop. When I was told last Monday that there was going to be a ceremony, I at first thought it was something routine, but I realized it was about me being the first in the entire country—and thereby in the entire world, to actually do this. HR was so much help with the entire process. I’ve got a thread going of at least 77 emails with them on this.
Q: Where did you go for advice?
I talked to Jane Hsu Southwick from the Career Development Center (CDC), who called me while I was studying away in Ghana and working as a social media intern for an environmental organization. While I liked the job, there were other things I enjoyed more—like being involved in student government, running a club and actively being around people. I told her about my apprehensions about taking a job in social media, and that I was more drawn to jobs with a student involvement aspect. She said, “Tyler, there are jobs that do that—our jobs!” It made me think about the people working at NYU Shanghai whose work had supported me throughout my four years, and I started looking at college administration as something I was interested in doing.
Q: What happened next?
To work at NYU Shanghai—my alma mater—was something I already knew I’d love. Being here had been such a remarkable experience for me, and I wanted to help students through the journey, which at times is hard but totally worth it. I discovered there were new positions being offered in Student Life at NYU Shanghai. I thought getting a work visa would be impossible; it required two years experience or a master’s degree and I had neither, but I was told to consider applying because of a change in visa policy.
Q: What do you do in your new job?
Right now I’m working with our Orientation Ambassadors as they reach out to freshmen. Each O.A. reaches out to about 7 international freshman, having Skype calls with them, talking to them about their concerns. I also follow up with students from an administrative side—answer questions about visas, or direct them to athletic opportunities, proactively connecting them to resources they will need and helping them understand what they’re coming into.
It’s nice that I’m working with freshmen. They’re in a crucial moment, on the hinge of feeling “Do I do it? Is it worth it?” I want to make sure that they make a smooth transition so they end up making it to the end and realize how ‘worth it’ their decision to come here was.
Q: How long do you plan to stay in Shanghai?
I have a three year contract, and after that I’ll see. I love this city. Even while I was traveling abroad, my heart was always in Shanghai. It was the first place that truly felt like home—the first place I set myself up as an individual, an adult living away from my parents. No matter where I was in the world, I always thought about returning to Shanghai.
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