The problem of graduate unemployment isn't isolated to the mainland.
According to Deborah Morgan, the regional area manager for recruitment firm Manpower Hong Kong, the recent economic slowdown and the growing number of tertiary students meant that the number of graduates was outstripping the number of positions available for them in Hong Kong.
Last year, 31,097 students graduated from Hong Kong's universities and colleges, of which 15,364, or about 49 per cent, left with undergraduate degrees, 9,105 had postgraduate qualifications and 6,628 completed sub-degree programmes.
Although the number of positions available increased as a result of positive economic growth and improved business sentiment, it was still insufficient to meet the demands of graduates.
Ms Morgan said that many businesses preferred to hire people with experience as they brought a faster return on staffing cost investment. In addition, during the past two to three years, experienced candidates had been more willing to take lower positions because of the depressed labour market. This had reduced the number of positions available to graduates.
'The economic outlook has improved, as demonstrated in the recent results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey,' said Ms Morgan, noting that about 28 per cent of employers interviewed were looking to add to their workforce during the fourth quarter of this year.