I.
IntroductionThe information contained in this paper is extracted from the Graduate Employment Survey of 1997 to answer the following questions about Chemistry majors : -
II. Employment Situation in 1997
Altogether 103 persons graduated from the University with a B.Sc. degree in Chemistry. Among them, 83 (81%) responded to the survey. Most (63 or 76%) of the Chemistry graduates were in full-time employment within six months of graduation. 6% (or 5 graduates) were still looking for full-time employment at the time of the survey. Another 17% (or 14 graduates) went on for further studies. (Table 1).
Chemistry |
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 | 83 |
100 |
80 |
100 |
45 |
100 |
36 |
100 |
38 |
100 |
44 |
100 |
2272 |
100 |
2139 |
100 |
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| F/T employed | 63 |
75.9 |
62 |
77.5 |
31 |
68.9 |
28 |
77.8 |
32 |
84.2 |
34 |
77.3 |
1829 |
80.5 |
1743 |
81.5 |
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| P/T employed seeking F/T job | 1 |
1.2 |
2 |
2.5 |
1 |
2.2 |
2 |
5.6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
37 |
1.6 |
34 |
1.6 |
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| Unemployed seeking F/T job | 5 |
6.0 |
1 |
1.3 |
4 |
8.9 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2.6 |
1 |
2.3 |
53 |
2.3 |
34 |
1.6 |
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| Further studies | 14 |
16.9 |
15 |
18.8 |
9 |
20.0 |
6 |
16.7 |
5 |
13.2 |
9 |
20.5 |
339 |
14.9 |
314 |
14.7 |
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| Emigration/home country | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0.2 |
6 |
0.28 |
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| Not seeking F/T job | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
10 |
0.4 |
8 |
0.4 |
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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
Ten graduates pursued postgraduate studies in science and one graduate each studied computer science and education. All of them were enrolled in local tertiary institutions. Table 2 shows the academic programmes Chemistry graduates were engaged in and Table 3 shows the source of finance.
Academic programmes |
|||
| Field of Study | M.Phil. |
Postgraduate Certificate |
Others |
| Science | 10 |
||
| Computer Sc. | 1 |
||
| Education | 1 |
||
No Response = 2
Table 2. Academic programmes
| Source of Finance | No. of Graduates |
| Teaching Assistantship/Studentship | 9 |
| Government Grant & Loan | 2 |
| Own Funds | 1 |
No Response = 2
Table 3. Source of finance for further studies
IV. Time Taken to Secure Employment
Among those graduates who were in full-time employment. 87% secured their first job offer before the end of September. The figure increased to 100% by December 1997. (Figure 1)
Figure 1. Time taken to secure employment
V. Employment Sectors
Most (51 or 84%) of the Chemistry graduates were employed in commerce and industry, followed by 9.8% (or 6 graduates) in education, 3.3% (or 2 graduates) each in civil service and community, social and personal services. (Figures 2 & 3)
VI. Basic Salary and Gross Income
The remuneration received by 1997 Chemistry graduates is shown in Table 4.
Basic Salary |
Gross Income |
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Chemistry |
HKU Average* |
Chemistry |
HKU Average* |
|||||
‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
‘97 |
‘96 |
|
Mean |
$11,560 |
$11,080 |
$15,749 |
$14,457 |
$13,813 |
$12,337 |
$17,552 |
$15,902 |
Median |
$10,965 |
$10,000 |
$12,500 |
$12,000 |
$12,992 |
$10,871 |
$14,521 |
$13,542 |
Minimum |
$5,000 |
$6,500 |
$4,400 |
$3,000 |
$8,667 |
$7,583 |
$5,000 |
$5,500 |
Maximum |
$20,850 |
$20,600 |
$59,000 |
$55,000 |
$29,367 |
$20,983 |
$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
Of those in full-time employment, 71% had more than one offer. 43% reported having received three or more job offers (Figure 4).
VIII. Names of Employers and Job Titles
The job titles of the Chemistry 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 & PERSONAL SERVICES - | ||
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| COMMERCE & INDUSTRY - | ||
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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