XN000022-1978-05-06 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1970

TECHNICAL GRADUATES EASILY FIND JOBS

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A SURVEY BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S TECHNICAL EDUCATION DIVISION HAS REVEALED HOW GRADUATES OF TECHNICAL INSTITUTES FEEL ABOUT JOB PROSPECTS AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS CONTINUING THEIR EDUCATION ON A PART-TIME BASIS.

THE REPORT OF THE SURVEY ENTITLED THE EMPLOYMENT SURVEY OF THE FULL-TIME GRADUATES OF TECHNICAL INSTITUTES (ACADEMIC YEAR 1976-77)+, NOTES THAT GRADUATES OF TECHNICAL INSTITUTES ARE READILY ACCEPTED BY LOCAL INDUSTRY. ABOUT 40.8 PER CENT OF THESE GRADUATES GOT THEIR JOBS IN JULY 1977, AND BY DECEMBER 1977, NEARLY 97.8 PER CENT HAD BEEN EMPLOYED.

THE NEWSPAPER IS STILL THE CHIEF SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYMENT (26.8 PER CENT). BUT TECHNICAL INSTITUTES NOTICE BOARDS ALSO PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE DISSEMINATION OF CAREER INFORMATION.

ABOUT 91 PER CENT OF ALL THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE GRADUATES FIND THAT THEIR JOBS BEAR SOME RELEVANCE TO THE COURSES STUDIED. SOME 32.9 PER CENT OF CRAFT GRADUATES AND ONLY 16.5 PER CENT OF COMMERCIAL POST-SECONDARY GRADUATES FIND THEIR JOBS +HIGHLY+ RELEVANT TO THEIR STUDY. THIS POINTS TO THE NEED FOR BROAD-BASED COURSES.

MORE THAN HALF (55.8 PER CENT) OF THE GRADUATES SAY THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH THEIR JOBS AND THOSE WHO SHOW DISSATISFACTION POINT OUT THAT LOW PAY, DIM PROMOTION PROSPECTS AND LITTLE CHANCE FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH ARE THE MAIN CAUSES OF DISCONTENT.

PART-TIME EVENING COURSES ARE STILL THE MOST COMMON FORM OF FURTHER STUDY FOR THE FULL-TIME TECHNICAL GRADUATES (58.6 PER CENT) AS COMPARED TO PART-TIME DAY-RELEASE. BLOCK-RELEASE AND CORRESPONDENCE COURSES ARE VERY RARE.

MOST STUDENTS (81.3 PER CENT) CHOOSE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC AS THEIR INSTITUTIONS OF PART-TIME EDUCATION, AND 88.8 PER CENT OF THE EMPLOYED GRADUATES UNDERTAKE SOME FORM OF PART-TIME STUDY AN INCREASE OF 9.3 PER CENT OVER LAST YEAR'S FIGURES.

MOST GRADUATES WHO GO ON FOR FURTHER FULL-TIME STUDY ENTER THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES (56.5 PER CENT) AND 10.6 PER CENT ENTER THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC. BUT THE PROPORTION OF GRADUATES WHO PURSUE HIGHER FULL-TIME STUDY IS LOW (8.5 PER CENT).

CAREER EXHIBITIONS OF ORGANISATIONS IN COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN FOUND VERY EFFECTIVE AND INFORMATIVE IN PROVIDING GUIDANCE TO YOUNG PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES.

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