Where did the 1999 Doctors of Philosophy graduates go ?
Careers Education and Placement Centre

I. Introduction

The information in this paper is extracted from the Graduate Employment Survey of 1999 to answer the following questions about full-time Doctor of Philosophy graduates : -

II. Employment Situations in 1999

Of the 85 full-time graduates from this programme, 34 responded to the survey. Their employment situations are listed below.
 
PhD
HKU Overall*
1999
1998
1999
1998
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No. of respondents
34
100
82
100
152
100
186
100
Employed
29
85
75
91
120
79
153
82
Unemployed seeking F/T job
2
5.9
3
3.7
9
5.9
9
4.8
Further Studies
2
5.9
2
2.4
21
14
19
10
Emigrated/Returned to home country
0
0
1
1.2
1
0.7
1
0.5
Not seeking F/T job
1
2.9
1
1.2
1
0.7
4
2.2

* HKU Overall refers to the figure for the HKU Research Programme graduates.
 
 
 
 

III. Further Studies

Two graduates proceeded to postgraduate studies. The tables below show the academic programmes that they pursued and their sources of funds.
 
Academic Programme
Field of Study
Ph.D.
Science
2

 
Source of Funds
No. of Graduates
Full Scholarship
1
Scholarship & Teaching Assistantship/Studentship
1

 
 

IV. Time Taken to Secure Employment

The time taken for graduates to secure employment is shown below.
 
% of new graduates who have secured employment
By the end of
1999
1998
May or before
61%
79%
June
65%
82%
July
70%
83%
August
74%
85%
September
83%
90%
October
91%
97%
November
100%
99%
December
100%
100%

No Response = 4
 
 

V. Employment Sectors

The majority of graduates from this programme were employed in educational institutions, while others were employed in commerce & industry, community, social & personal services and the civil service.
 
% of graduates
Sector
1999
1998
Educational Institutions
56%
60%
Commerce & Industry
22%
26%
Community, Social & Personal Services
18%
10%
Civil Service
4%
4%

No Response = 2
 
 

VI. Basic Salary and Gross Income

The remuneration received by graduates from this programme is shown below.
 
Basic Salary
Gross Income
PhD
HKU Average*
PhD
HKU Average*
1999
1998
1999
1998
1999
1998
1999
1998
Mean
$21,448
$34,269
$21,984
$28,912
$21,878
$38,457
$24,198
$31,734
Median
$18,000
$29,700
$17,450
$22,538
$19,500
$30,000
$18,000
$23,833
Minimum
$12,000
$9,120
$8,000
$9,120
$12,000
$9,120
$8,000
$9,120
Maximum
$50,000
$77,000
$120,000
$77,000
$54,167
$138,022
$198,000
$138,022

* HKU Average refers to the figure for the HKU Research Programme graduates.
 
 

VII. Number of Full-Time Job Offers

The number of job offers received by graduates from this programme is shown in the following table.
 
No. of job offers received
No. of graduates (% of graduates)
One
15 (68%)
Two
5 (23%)
Three
1 (4.5%)
Four
1 (4.5%)

No Response = 5

 
 
  VIII. Names of Employers and Job Titles
The job titles of graduates from this programme in full-time employment and the names of their employers are listed below.
 
Employers
Job Titles
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS -  
  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  • Research Associate
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Demonstrator
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Research Assistant 
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Research Assistant
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Research Assistant
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Research Assistant
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Research Assistant
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Research Associate
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Research Officer
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Senior Research Assistant
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Senior Research Assistant
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • Software Engineer
  • TWGHs Secondary School
  • Graduate Master
  • University of Peradeniya, Sri-Lanka
  • Lecturer
  • Wye College University of London, UK
  • Lecturer
   
COMMUNITY, SOCIAL & PERSONAL SERVICES -  
  • EM
  • Environmental Consultant
  • First Oriental Medical Technology
  • Radio Chemist
  • HKIB
  • Technical Officer
  • South China Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Scheme
  • Associate Professor
   
COMMERCE & INDUSTRY -  
  • C Y Leung & Co Ltd
  • Appraiser
  • General Motors Co
  • Analysis Engineer
  • Heraeus Ltd
  • Technical Servicing Engineer
  • St Honore Cake Shop Ltd
  • Quality Assurance Controller
  • Organization's name not reported
  • Consultant
  • Organization's name not reported
  • Project Executive

No Response = 2

Note : Some of the 1999 graduates indicated willingness to talk to individual students about their work. Contact numbers can be obtained from counsellors at the CePc.
 
 
 
 

IX. Similar information on graduates from other disciplines is available for reference in the Careers Library. Please contact the CePc for further details.
 

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 : 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.)
 
 

Cindy Chan
 
 

August, 2000
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,

unless with written permission from the Director of the Careers Education and Placement Centre,

The University of Hong Kong