Increasing number of HKU graduates joining the Engineering and Architectural sectors

According to a recent survey conducted by the University of Hong Kong (HKU), employment situation has been very satisfactory for the University's graduates in 2011, full employment has been recorded for the sixth consecutive year.

1. Summary
The Careers and Placement Section of the HKU Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) today (May 10, 2012) released the latest findings of the employment situation of its 2011 undergraduates. The key figures are:

1.1 Full employment for the sixth consecutive year (99.7%), same rate as in 2010

1.2 As economy remains sounded, slightly more graduates went for employment, while slightly less opted for further studies

1.3 Graduates working with the Engineering and Architectural industries increased by 2.2 percentage points as compared with 2010, probably due to the launching of a number of large scale infrastructure and construction projects last year, generating more job opportunities and better service conditions.

1.4 Business services combined with financial institutions continued to account for the largest sector of employment, which reflected the importance of the two sectors to HK's economy and labour market.

1.5 Average gross salary increased by 5.8%. Among the different sectors, the highest increase was in the commerce & industry, and followed by the sector of community, social & personal service.

1.6. Within commerce & industry, the greatest increase in salary was in the construction sector and the transportation, storage and communication sector (26.2 % and 22.5% respectively).

1.7 Across the salary ranges, majority of respondents fell in the range between $15,000 and $24,999. Proportion of those in the range of $14,999 or below has decreased.

2.   Survey methodology
The survey was conducted in the form of questionnaires to all 3,975 full-time graduates at all levels of the University. A total of 3,535 graduates replied, representing a response rate of 88.9%. Among the Bachelor Degree graduates, the response rate was 92.1%.

3.  Employment trend fully reflected economic recovery

3.1 The survey recorded a full employment rate at 99.7% among respondents, which was full employment for six consecutive years.  (Table 1)

3.2 More graduates went for employment (from 79.2% in 2010 to 80.6% in 2011), while less opted for further studies (from 19.2% in 2010 to 18.0% in 2011) (Table 1).

3.3 The average gross salary increased by 5.8% (from $17,336 in 2010 to $18,350 in 2011). The most significant increase was in commerce & industry (+11.6%), followed by the sector of community, social & personal service (+8.0%). (Table 3)

3.4 More graduates had monthly salary fallen in the range of $15,000 to $24,999 (from 29.4% in 2010 to 39.7% in 2011). Graduates having monthly salary $14,999 or below decreased by 9.7%. (Table 4)

3.5 Within commerce & industry, the greatest increase was in the sector of construction (+26.2%), followed by the sector of transportation, storage and communication (+22.5%). (Table 5)

3.6 Following the launch of a number of large scale infrastructure projects, graduates joining the Engineering and Architectural industries increased by 2.2 percentage points. (Table 6)

3.7 Business services combined with financial institutions accounted for the largest sector of employment (from 27.5% in 2010 to 29.2% in 2011). (Table 6)

3.8 Among the respondents, 38.3% secured a job before graduation, an increase of 4.9 percentage points from 2010. (Table 7)

3.9 There was an increase in average job offers received by our graduates (from 2.09 in 2010 to 2.22 in 2011) (Table 8).

3.10 Majority of graduates experienced good job satisfaction (82.3%). (Table 9) There was an increase in job stability this year. (Table 10)

3.11 More non-local graduates opted for employment in HK (from 84.6% in 2010 to 89.9% in 2011). Among the students from the Mainland, more opted to stay and work in HK (from 84.7% in 2010 to 90.2% in 2011). (Table 11)

For Table 1 to Table 11, please visit https://www.cpao.hku.hk/media/120510tables.pdf

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Trinni Choy, Assistant Director (Media) (Tel: 2859 2606 / Mobile: 9464 3431 / E-mail: pychoy@hku.hk ), or Ms Eva Ho, Careers and Placement, CEDARS, HKU (Tel: 2859 2303 / E-mail: eva.ho@cedars.hku.hk ).