250,000 individual industrial and commercial households promoted the economic development in Ningbo. Ningbo Bureau of Industry and Commerce and Ningbo Association of individual laborers said at the meeting on pioneering of individual laborers on Oct.29 that 258,610 Ningbo households of industry and commerce had the total capitals of 9,529 billion Yuan. Therefore, it was a vital part in economic development. Most of them were retail shops or service stations, selling agricultural and sideline products in city and countryside. Meanwhile, they helped jobless to be employed. 60% of working posts come from individual enterprises and self employment. In 2005, the statistics of Ningbo Bureau of Labor and Social Security showed 520 university graduates set up own business.