For many years, chengguan, or urban management officers, have been criticized by the public for their sometimes unconventional methods of law enforcement, often accompanied by violence. Most of the city's chengguan, the majority of whom are in their 40s or 50s, are not educated beyond high school. Disputes and fights between chengguan and unlicensed hawkers or drivers of illegal three-wheel moped taxis, are a sadly common sight.

However, it was recently reported that Baoshan district has now recruited an unprecedented 11 new chengguan officers who all have master's degrees.

The 11, who are all in their 20s, have passed the local civil servant examinations and interviews. Baoshan authorities clarified before the recruitment that all the new chengguan will receive the same welfare benefits as regular civil servants.

While the public debates whether such a position is beneath a person educated to postgraduate level, one newly recruited chengguan told local media that the upgraded civil servant benefits make such a job a much more attractive proposition than it once was.

My own opinion is that well educated and talented people are required in all walks of life, including the ranks of the chengguan. These people perform an important role and are visible symbols of the metropolises that they represent.

Most people are tired of hearing about chengguan abusing their positions and would welcome a change in attitude that younger, better educated members of the force would bring to the role.

These young men and women will probably have excellent negotiating skills and will be able to handle disputes and dissipate potentially volatile situations more deftly.

And I sincerely hope that more well-educated young people decide to apply for such crucial public-sector jobs.

Local media recently covered the story of a 30-year-old woman with a chemistry degree, surnamed Peng, who has been driving the No.95 bus traveling from Zhabei district to Baoshan district for more than a year. Peng has been praised as a "model driver" by her company, and is equally popular with passengers.

Shanghai's taxi companies would also benefit from such young talent.

In many non-English speaking countries, cabbies can usually converse with foreign passengers in English, but this is rarely the case in Shanghai.

And for young people entering society, these jobs can help them learn about the real world through dealing so closely with ordinary citizens. Even if they should change their career in future, this experience is irreplaceable and invaluable.

For students who are unable to find their ideal job as soon as they graduate, becoming a chengguan is far better than not working at all, or living off their parents.

Many parents of today's young adults suffered hardships as youngsters when the country was so much poorer. They did low-paid jobs similar to that of chengguan in order that they could raise their children and give them the type of education they themselves could never enjoy.

And I believe that if more young people are prepared to work as chengguan, then the older generation will be able to take a much-deserved retirement sooner than expected.