Why Hong Kong’s theatre design graduates have no lack of job opportunities
School under the Academy for Performing Arts boasts an employment rate of 98 per cent among graduates
Graduates in theatre design are much sought after for their versatile skills but there is still a lack of appreciation for the hard work that goes on behind the scenes, according to a school dean and young artists.
“There are many job opportunities for our students, whether it’s design, technology, lighting or sound – they are all needed,” Professor Gillian Choa, school dean since 2013, said.
Students in the four-year curriculum for the bachelor’s degree in fine arts must cover 12 fields, from costume to technical drawing, before taking up their majors.
Choa recalled that, when Hong Kong Disneyland and Macau’s entertainment industry both started, “thousands of technicians” were sought from the school. “We couldn’t fill the vacancies even if we gave them all our graduates.”
At the time, she added, HKAPA graduates were helping implement others’ ideas, especially from the US, without offering much creative input. “Now it’s very different and I think it’s the confidence employers have in our graduates. Some of our alumni are now in senior positions in design and management.”
Universal Studios in Beijing, due to open in 2020, has also approached the school about possible job opportunities.