They can cook dinner, make the bed and help the kids with their calculus and English homework.

With Shanghai's economy outpacing the rest of the country's, college graduates from underdeveloped provinces are moving to the city to work as housekeepers for local families who expect a little more from their ayi.

Beginning in February, a local housekeeping company will offer the service of 12 college graduates from Hebei Province to families that can afford the added price and seek the extra services educated housekeepers can offer.

The 12 domestic helpers, two men and 10 women, all graduated from Hebei Industrial Professional Technology College, which became the first institute in the country to offer a major in housekeeping last year.

Unlike typical ayis, the graduates are trained in driving, secretarial work, spoken and written English and translation - skills many successful businessmen and expatriates have said they want in a housekeeper, but can't find.

The graduates have already signed a one-year contract with three local companies that promise to pay them 1,800 yuan (US$217) a month, less than most college grads would expect to earn in the city, but far more than most would ever make working in Hebei.

"They have passed 18 related courses, including driving, psychology, children's education, household decoration, tea culture and fashion design," said Li Rong, manager of Shanghai Laibang Homemaking Service Co, one of the three companies. "All of them have various certificates for skills like secretarial work, property maintenance, driving and they all have a good standard of English."

With standards of living improving rapidly in the city over the last decade, employers are no longer satisfied with an ayi who can only clean and cook. Many local families are willing to pay more for a qualified professional, who can help the kids with their homework, decorate the house and take business phone calls at home.

Li said his company has received many inquiries about the educated housekeepers since announcing its new service to the public.

"I want to hire a high qualified ayi to teach my daughter at home and drive her to kindergarten in the morning," said Li Ying, a company manager. "I am very interested in the college housekeepers."

Most migrant housekeepers in the city earn 600 yuan to 800 yuan a month for full-time work, with local ayis taking home about 1,000 yuan.

Officials said there are between 400,000 and 500,000 housekeepers working in the city, and demand for highly qualified ayis, such as the grads from Hebei, is about 100,000.

(eastday.com  December 31, 2003)