HONG KONG Polytechnic graduates continue to enjoy excellent employment prospects, with only 1.7 per cent still seeking suitable employment six months after graduation. A survey conducted by the polytechnic's Student Affairs Office found that of the 3,605 graduates who completed studies in June 1993, 84 per cent had found satisfactory employment up to December 1993, when the survey ended. Eleven per cent were pursuing further studies. Sixty-five per cent had joined the private sector, with commercial, industrial and professional companies. It was noted that more graduates were joining non-profit-making organisations, reflected in an increase from nine per cent in 1992 to 11 per cent this year. The number of graduates employed by the Government saw a slight drop of one per cent, and the field of engineering attracted more students than in the previous year. Over 86 per cent of the graduates with full-time employment considered their training at the polytechnic relevant to their work, and 19 per cent have worked before for their present employers, mostly during summer training programmes or industrial placement provided by the polytechnic. About 65 per cent of the graduates had received more than one job offer. The number of graduates furthering their studies dropped from 466 to 408, after years of steady growth. Of these, 256 were continuing their academic pursuits locally. The number of graduates furthering their studies overseas dropped to 152, compared with203 in 1992. The polytechnic conducted another survey on the employment situation of its 1993 batch of full-time research degree graduates. Of the 25 graduates who received Master/Doctor of Philosophy degrees, 52 per cent had full-time employment, 24 per cent were continuing their studies, and 20 per cent had returned to their country of origin when the survey closed on December 31. The average monthly salary for the employed graduates was $14,147. Eighty-five per cent of them considered their education at the polytechnic relevant to their occupation.
