More than 200 enterprises gathered at the Civil Aviation University of China in Tianjin on Thursday for a spring job fair, where the low-altitude economy stood out as a major source of high-quality employment opportunities.

The number of employers was up from around 140 in previous years, according to the university. The low-altitude sector has become the fastest-growing career path for its graduates. Since 2023, more than 100 students have entered the field each year, with annual growth of about 15 percent.

The university has identified five core job categories in this emerging sector — flight operations, technology research and development, operational support, safety compliance, and operational services — to better align academic training with market demand.

Zhou Jian, a 2014 graduate in aeronautical and astronautical science and technology, was recently appointed chief technology officer of Shenzhen Zero UAV Technology, a national "little giant" enterprise specializing in drone systems. His career path highlights the competitiveness of the university's graduates, said Jiang Yunliang, deputy director of the student affairs department.

As one of the first institutions in China to offer unmanned aircraft systems engineering, the university provides training in civil aviation standards, safety awareness, and low-altitude expertise.