In 1939, his father got him a job with the predecessor to the Shilin Farmers 'Association. The following year, Tsao and his friends He Bin, Zhang Yu, and others formed the Shilin Cooperative Society.
1939 年，他在父親介紹下到士林「信用販賣購買利用組合」（現士林農會）工作，隔年與好友何斌、張鈺等人籌組「士林協志會」。