1) Students come from vocational schools that train students for skilled factory labour.

2) This isn't an iPhone assembly line.

3) NY Times shouldn't be publishing BS a week after it has been dismissed as BS http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/6/3297995/forced-to-work-on-t...

4) NY Times acknowledges that their source is BS by quoting another media outlet mentioning that it is a cable assembly line.

5) I can't comment on the electronics industry but such practices are very common in China as the vocational schools are actually ran by major manufacturers.