bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

Hong Kong Polytechnic University's 1996 graduates are earning more than most former students of other tertiary institutions, it was revealed this week.

 The PolyU's Graduate Employment Survey 1996 showed better-than-expected results, including increases in salaries, said director of student affairs Paul Lee Kai-yu.

 'Compared to some of the employment surveys disclosed by other institutions, our results sound good this year,' Mr Lee said.

 The average basic monthly salary of 1996 PolyU graduates was $11,587, up from $11,315 for 1995 graduates.

 The average salary for 1996 graduates from Hong Kong universities was $10,800.

 Baptist University reported that its graduates were on average earning 0.67 per cent less than their 1995 counterparts.

 But the rate of salary increase for PolyU graduates - 2.4 per cent - was still behind the territory's six per cent inflation rate.

 It was the second year salaries had failed to keep pace with inflation.

 More than half the 2,917 PolyU graduates who returned their survey forms were earning between $8,000 and $11,999.

 'Last year the economy was not that good and seemed to be shrinking. We thought our students might encounter difficulties in finding jobs as in the previous year, but it turned out to be not all that bad. Most secured their first job offer within three months,' Mr Lee said.

 'I think it is because most of the courses we offer are known to be practical and it was much easier for our students to find jobs,' he said.

 'The [Chek Lap Kok] airport and related infrastructural construction works has taken in a number of our students studying in the engineering or construction fields.'  This year, 18.6 per cent of PolyU graduates secured their first job before their final examinations, lower than 1995's 20.8 per cent. Eighty-one per cent were employed by the end of August, close to the previous year's 80 per cent.

 The survey was conducted by the Student Affairs Office.

 Questionnaires were sent to the 3,644 1996 graduates students from 64 full-time courses and research studies.

 Those who joined the community and social services sector - including cultural and recreational services and the medical profession - averaged the highest salaries, at $18,081.

 The most popular sector was 'business services', including law and accountancy firms, and real estate, which took up 16 per cent of graduates at an average salary of $9,951.

 Meanwhile, PolyU students have been preparing for their summer work experience placements at two seminars.

 More than 120 companies, government departments and other organisations have now signed up with the Preferred Graduate Development Programme, offering more than 300 places between July and September.

 The students have been on pre-placement training courses, which include talks by employers, civil servants and career counsellors.



Former PolyU students show salary success