Michael Tsin Hon-kwong, 52, agrees with RTHK talkshow host Robert Chow Yung that 'qualification discrimination' prevails in the city
Yes, discrimination against low qualifications exists in Hong Kong and it seems to be getting worse. In my case, the education I received was not that little. I graduated from Form Five in 1975 but I have been discriminated against, with people saying my qualifications are not good enough.
This kind of discrimination is very serious in Hong Kong. I worked as a foreman when the construction of the airport at Chek Lap Kok began. But later they said my English standard was not good enough, that I couldn't talk with foreigners, and I lost the chance to get promoted. Instead they hired foreign labourers from Britain just because they could speak English. They might be just mineworkers there! Their knowledge of construction was not good. They just knew how to speak English. It was the 1990s. I kept working there but lost the opportunity of promotion. It was definitely unreasonable.
I agree that qualifications are a must, but experience is more important. Take my younger brother, for example. I was more experienced in work than him. He entered his career at the same time as me. And he kept studying, and climbing higher, but he didn't have much experience.
He has served in the surveying sector. Now he is a chief survey manager. He went to Tongji University [in Shanghai]. I guess he has got a doctorate. He is two years younger than me.
Qualifications and experience are two different matters. Right after you graduate from university you are given a high rank, right? But that's just on paper. If you ask a new graduate to handle a problem, he may not be able to do it because he's inexperienced.