MONDAY, JULY 10, 1978
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RESULTS OF CAREERS OPINION POLL
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HONG KONG YOUNG PEOPLE RATE INTEREST IN THE WORK ITSELF AND +STABILITY+ AS THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA WHEN IT COMES TO CHOOSING A CAREER, ACCORDING TO A REPORT ON A CAREERS OPINION POLL PUBLISHED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY.
THE POLL WAS SPONSORED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S YOUTH EMPLOYMENT ADVISORY SERVICE AND CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICAL STUDIES OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC.
IT WAS CARRIED OUT ON 2,000 RESPONDENTS CHOSEN IN A ONE-IN-FIFTY SAMPLING OF SOME 113,000 YOUNG PEOPLE WHO VISITED LAST YEAR'S 10-DAY CAREERS EXHIBITION STAGED BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AT THE KOWLOON RAIL TERMINUS IN HUNG HOM.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE YOUNG PEOPLE ATTACHED ONLY SECONDARY IMPORTANCE TO INCOME AND PROSPECTS+.
NEARLY HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS WOULD PREFER TO WORK IN THE SERVICES SECTOR, WITH SOCIAL WORK, TEACHING AND NURSING BEING AMONG THE MOST POPULAR JOBS. ABOUT 30 PER CENT PREFERRED INDUSTRY, WITH THE MAJORITY OF THESE CHOOSING ELECTRONICS, MACHINE AND METAL WORKING, AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. WORKING
IN COMMERCE AND THE CIVIL SERVICE WAS LESS POPULAR.
BY OCCUPATION, 43 PER CENT OF THE RESPONDENTS ASPIRED TO BEING SERVICE OR TECHNICAL WORKERS AND ABOUT ONE-THIRD PROFESSIONAL WORKERS.
CONCERNING THE CHOICE OF A CAREER, ABOUT HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS FELT THEY WERE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS. WHILE MORE THAN ONE-THIRD WERE PREPARED TO BE INFLUENCED BY THEIR PARENTS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY.
OF THE RESPONDENTS ALREADY WORKING, ABOUT 70 PER CENT WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR JOBS, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION FACTORS SUCH AS NATURE OF WORK, SALARY, WORKING ENVIRONMENT, HOURS OF WORK, OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (WELFARE, HOLIDAYS) STAFF RELATIONS AND PROSPECTS. AMONG THE FACTORS CONSIDERED, THEY WERE MORE SATISFIED WITH THEIR WORKING HOURS THAN WITH THE PROSPECTS OF THEIR JOBS.
THE POLL ALSO ATTEMPTED TO FIND OUT THE PLANS OF WOULD-BE FORM V SCHOOL LEAVERS - WHETHER THEY PLANNED TO CONTINUE THEIR STUDIES OR GO INTO EMPLOYMENT. MORE THAN 80 PER CENT OF THE STUDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY PLANNED TO CARRY ON WITH THEIR STUDIES BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO ACQUIRE MORE KNOWLEDGE AS WELL AS TO ATTAIN PROFESSIONAL STATUS.
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES AND. DISLIKE OF STUDYING WERE THE MAIN REASONS FOR THE SMALL PROPORTION OF STUDENTS WHO PLANNED TO GO INTO EMPLOYMENT AFTER FORM V.
THE FINDINGS OF THE POLL ALSO RE-AFFIRMED THE VALUE OF THE ANNUAL CAREERS EXHIBITION. ABOUT 75 PER CENT OF THE VISITORS TO LAST YEAR'S CAREERS EXHIBITION HAD COME, SPECIALLY FOR CAREERS INFORMATION AND THE MAJORITY WAS SATISFIED WITH THE WIDE RANGE OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
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