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Chris Davis

Higher diploma and non-degree courses equip students with knowledge in specialised disciplines and vocational skills

HIGHER DIPLOMAS and non-degree programmes can provide useful stepping stones for those interested in pursuing further education or embracing the concept of continuous learning.

Edwin Leung Sai-ching, head of the department of hotel service and tourism studies at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) (Haking Wong campus) said not every employer was looking for staff who had a degree.

Mr Leung said job seekers who had a diploma or had broadened their knowledge through taking non-degree courses greatly enhanced their attractiveness to employers.

Anthony Ng, who is doing a diploma in applied translation at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCS) at Chinese University  said the programme was the first step to obtaining a degree and pursuing a career in translation.

'I chose to study at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies because I wanted my diploma to be a properly accredited one, not just a piece of paper, but [one that] stood for something here and overseas,' Mr Ng said.

SCS director Victor Lee said both higher diploma and associate degree programmes equipped students with generic skills, knowledge in specialised disciplines and practical vocational skills.

In general, higher diploma programmes are more vocation-oriented, while associate degrees emphasise general education. On completion of higher diploma programmes, graduates should be able to master general skills and pursue a career, university education or studies in specialised areas.

'The higher diploma programmes give our students the opportunities to apply classroom knowledge to develop lifelong career skills. Permanent job opportunities are also offered by our strategic partners as well as major corporations in Hong Kong,' Dr Lee said.

For those interested in the arts, an area often overlooked in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts offers diploma and professional diploma programmes that cover film and television, music, theatre technical arts and Chinese traditional theatre.

The two-year diplomas  are foundation programmes which provide intensive training in preparation for further studies of the performing arts and theatre technical arts at tertiary level. They are designed for Form Five school leavers or above who have completed the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination.

Students of the academy learn through practising their arts, rather than learning about the arts, and have many opportunities for public performances and practical production work.

At  Polytechnic University (PolyU) about 30 per cent of students take two-year professional higher diploma courses. Programmes are application-oriented and designed to cater for the needs of students who wish to broaden their knowledge in a wide variety of disciplines. According to the PolyU Student Office, like other PolyU academic qualifications and standards, a diploma is highly regarded in the workplace. The Vocational Training Council  through the nine campuses of the Hong Kong IVE, provides quality vocational education to meet the needs of the economy for well-educated manpower at higher technician, technician and craft levels, as well as to satisfy the aspirations of young people seeking such education.

More than 80,000 full-time and part-time trainee places are offered by the training and development centres of the Vocational Training Council.

The Vocational Training Council operates an Engineering Graduate Training Scheme to help ensure that Hong Kong has an adequate supply of well trained engineers.

The scheme aims to provide adequate practical training for engineering graduates and students in sandwich courses to enable them to complete their training and attain professional status.

The Vocational Training Council is also promoting the New Technology Training Scheme to help employers train their staff in new technologies which are beneficial to Hong Kong's industry and commerce.

The scheme involves the provision of a government

grant that covers up to 75 per cent of the total training cost incurred by employers who send their staff to attend either an overseas or local course or working attachment for training in new technologies.



Stepping stones to a career and further studies