Results of the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination show about 41 percent of the 51,008 day-school students have made the cut - or 20,885 could now vie for the 15,000 subsidized first-year degree places at Hong Kong's eight public universities. Does it mean that their hopes for solid careers are secure while those who failed to make it should expect to linger in dead-end jobs with no prospects of meaningful achievements? The answer from the real world, and those who had spent any time in the workplace, is "far from it".

Unfortunately, for too many students, this is how they perceive their future - as though their fate is set with the DSE results.

For those students progressing to tertiary education, it is worth remembering that in many developed countries, particularly in Europe, and the Chinese mainland, the production of university graduates far outstrips their respective economies' production of university-level jobs, or jobs suited to their majors. The reasons for this mismatch are multi-faceted; one of them is fast-changing technology in the workplace, requiring ever more specialization. Thus the students would be well-advised to keep this in mind as they decide their major course of study. They would do well to undertake some research into related industries for which their initial academic interest might fit in. There are too many university graduates who failed to land jobs related to their courses of study. This represented a tremendous waste of resources and opportunities lost, not to mention they would thereby be somewhat less likely to reach their full potential in career achievements and probably enjoy less work satisfaction as well.

As for those students not destined to enjoy the prestige of a university education, do look on the bright side if you find yourself ending up in vocational training colleges. It is a well-known fact that in most developed economies, those equipped with vocational, technical and craft skills, generally speaking, have an easier time landing their first jobs. It is simply a reflection of a common manpower quirk in many developed economies of having "too many generals, and too few soldiers."

But for both the university-grade and technical-grade students, success really should boil down to being able to pursue a course of study, and hopefully later a job that dovetails with their individual passion. Too many young people are misled by the superficial attractions of many professions. Take the well-paid profession of being a lawyer for example, how many students are prepared to withstand the rigor and tedium of reading and digesting countless statutes and case studies? The same goes with other high-powered professions of accountants and doctors. And finally, be it in the choice of a university major or their eventual profession, potential remuneration should never be the priority consideration. They need to ask themselves first: Deep down will they be enjoying what they are about to embark upon?

(HK Edition 07/13/2017 page8)