I
. IntroductionThe information contained in this paper is extracted from the Graduate Employment Survey of 1997 to answer the following questions about Biology majors : -
II. Employment Situation in 1997
Altogether 71 persons graduated from the University with a B.Sc. degree in Biology. Among them, 64 (90%) responded to the survey. Most (80% or 51 graduates) of the 1997 Biology graduates were in full-time employment within six months of graduation. 3.1% (or 2 graduates) were still looking for full-time employment at the time of the survey. Another 17% (or 11 graduates) went on for further studies. (Table 1)
Biology |
HKU Overall * |
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Total |
Male |
Female |
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‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
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No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
No. |
% |
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| No. of respondents | 64 |
100 |
88 |
100 |
21 |
100 |
40 |
100 |
43 |
100 |
48 |
100 |
2272 |
100 |
2139 |
100 |
|
| F/T employed | 51 |
79.7 |
67 |
76.1 |
18 |
85.7 |
31 |
77.5 |
33 |
76.7 |
36 |
75.0 |
1829 |
80.5 |
1743 |
81.5 |
|
| P/T employed seeking F/T job | 2 |
3.1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
4.7 |
0 |
0 |
37 |
1.6 |
34 |
1.6 |
|
| Unemployed seeking F/T job | 0 |
0 |
2 |
2.3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2.5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2.1 |
53 |
2.3 |
34 |
1.6 |
|
| Further studies | 11 |
17.2 |
19 |
21.6 |
3 |
14.3 |
8 |
20.0 |
8 |
18.6 |
11 |
22.9 |
339 |
14.9 |
314 |
14.7 |
|
| Emigration/home country | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0.2 |
6 |
0.28 |
|
| Not seeking F/T job | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
0.4 |
8 |
0.4 |
|
Table 1. Employment situation
* HKU overall refers to the figure for the total HKU population and includes M.B.,B.S. and B.D.S. graduates.
III. Further Studies
Three graduates pursued postgraduate studies in the same discipline as their first degree. They took up either a M.Phil. programme or a Master (coursework) programme in science in local tertiary institutions. (Tables 2 & 3)
Academic programmes |
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| Fields of Study | M.Phil. |
Master (Coursework) |
Postgraduate Certificate |
Adv.Diploma /Diploma |
|
| Science | 2 |
1 |
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| Arts | 1 |
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| Education | 1 |
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| Quantity Surveying | 1 |
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No Response = 5
Table 2. Academic programmes
| Source of Finance | No. of Graduates |
| Own Fund | 3 |
| Teaching Assistantship/Studentship | 1 |
| Scholarship and Teaching Assistantship/Studentship | 1 |
| Government Grant and Loan | 1 |
No Response = 5
Table 3. Source of finance for further studies
IV. Time Taken to Secure Employment
Among those graduates who were in full-time employment, 84% secured their first job offers before the end of September. The percentage increased to 100% by the end of December. (Figure 1)
Figure 1. Time taken to secure employment
V. Employment Sectors
72% (or 36 graduates) of the Biology graduates were employed in the commerce and industry, followed by 12% (or 6 graduates) each in the civil service and education sector. The remaining 4% (or 2 graduates) in the community, social and personal services. (Figures 2 & 3)
No response=1
Figure 2. Employment sectors
No response = 1
Figure 3. Employment by sex
VI. Basic Salary and Gross Income
The remuneration received by the 1997 Biology graduates is shown in Table 4.
Basic Salary |
Gross Income |
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Biology |
HKU Average * |
Biology |
HKU Average * |
|||||
‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
|
| Mean | $11,484 |
$10,975 |
$15,749 |
$14,457 |
$12,803 |
$12,280 |
$17,552 |
$15,902 |
| Median | $11,000 |
$9,000 |
$12,500 |
$12,000 |
$13,000 |
$10,833 |
$14,521 |
$13,542 |
| Minimum | $5,000 |
$6,000 |
$4,400 |
$3,000 |
$5,000 |
$6,300 |
$5,000 |
$5,500 |
| Maximum | $30,610 |
$28,660 |
$59,000 |
$55,000 |
$30,610 |
$28,660 |
$74,000 |
$60,000 |
Table 4. Basic salary and gross income
* HKU average refers to the figure for the total HKU population and includes M.B.,B.S. and B.D.S. graduates.
VII. Number of Full-Time Job Offers
55% of the graduates in full-time employment had more than one job offer. 21% reported having received three or four job offers. (Figure 4)
Figure 4. No. of full-time job offers
VIII. Names of Employers and Job Titles
The job titles of the Biology graduates in full-time employment and the names of their employers are listed below.
Employers : |
Job Titles : |
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| CIVIL SERVICE - | ||
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| EDUCATION - | ||
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| COMMUNITY, SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICES - | ||
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| COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY - | ||
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No Response = 9
Table 5. List of employers and job titles
Note: Some alumni have indicated willingness to talk to individual students about their work. Their contact telephone number can be obtained from counsellors at CEPC.
IX.
Similar information on graduates from other disciplines of study are available for reference in the Careers Library. Please enquire with the CEPC.
Careers Education and Placement Centre
3/F Wong Chuang Lai Wah Building
Meng Wah Complex
The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road
Hong Kong
Telephone : 2859 2314
Fax : (852) 2559 5238
E-Mail : CEPC@HKUCC.HKU.HK
Homepage : http://www.hku.hk/cepc
Opening Hours : Monday - Friday (9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.)
Saturday (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.)
Margaret Lee
Nelson Yip
June, 1998
The analysis is based on information provided by the respondents, and the Careers Education & Placement Centre should not be held responsible for any errors arising therefrom.
No part of this report may be reproduced in any form or by whatever means,
without written permission from the Director of the Careers Education and Placement Centre,
The University of Hong Kong