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The transition from school to work is a critical milestone in the life of young people and plays a crucial role in how their future careers develop. ¡§From school to work¡¨ can be understood as a transition where a young person having completed an education level and embarked on work-life. According to some local scholars, this transition is a complicated process which not only involves a change of identity from a ¡§learner¡¨ to a ¡§worker¡¨, but also a transition from ¡§adolescence¡¨ to ¡§adulthood¡¨ where one¡¦s life planning is at stake.

 With reference to the situation in Hong Kong, it is found that the following three stages are important turning points at which students face the transition from school to work. They are (1) at Form Three, (2) at Form Five, and (3) as a new University Graduate. Are there any differences among young people with varied educational backgrounds in their path of transition? What are expectations of young people regarding work? What are the difficulties or obstacles encountered in the transition from school to work? How can one assure a smooth transition?

 This Study aims at exploring the experience and the needs of three groups of young people aged between 15 and 24 who have completed Form 3, Form 5 and university education respectively, as they face the transition from school to work. Through an integrated research by means of a telephone survey, case studies and group discussions with targeted young people and interviews with experts and scholars, we hope to present the current situations with recommendations as to the way forward.

 The telephone survey was conducted in a 14-day period during 28 February to 17 March 2006. By random sampling, 768 eligible young people aged between 15 and 24 were successfully polled, yielding a response rate of 79.5%, with a standard error of ¡Ó1.8%. Among them, 607 were students, 130 were employed and 31 were either unemployed or jobseekers. Because of the scarcity of samples, the result for this group, which either unemployed or jobseekers will not be discussed in this chapter.

 To have an in-depth understanding of the transition from school to work, we have successfully conducted case studies with 10 young people during March 2006. Among the 3 females and 7 males aged between 17 and 22 who have either completed Form 3, Form 5 or university education, half were employed and half were seeking employment. All 10 interviewees have left school for periods ranging from one and a half year to two years.

 Meanwhile, 5 focus group discussions were conducted. The 28 participants, comprising 21 males and 7 females aged between 16 and 24, had attained Form 3, Form 5 or University degree level of education.

 We have also interviewed 11 experts and scholars during March 2006 for views on facilitating the transition from school to work of the young people. Those interviewed included academicians, human resources consultants, members of employers¡¦ associations, entrepreneurs, secondary school teachers, social workers and government officials.

 The major findings are as follows:

 (1)    60% and 45% of youth interviewees who were either studying or working respectively, believed having a Bachelor¡¦s degree is the minimum qualification for getting an ideal job. Such a high expectation of education among the interviewees deserves attention.

 (2)    According to the case studies, those who were being employed with ¡§Form 3¡¨ qualification were not prepared for the transition from school to the work force. Because of their limited education level, they had a relatively low expectation on their jobs.

 (3)    The working interviewees with a Form 5 qualification had certain expectations on their jobs; hence they seemed to feel powerless in realizing their goals. With a human resources market tilting towards the highly educated, this group is bound to face difficulties in the labour market.

 (4)    Those who have obtained university degree level of education were better prepared to enter the job market as compared with the two other groups. They had a higher competitive edge in today¡¦s knowledge-based economy.

 (5)    According to our survey, the three challenges facing those who left school and started work were ¡§interpersonal relationships¡¨, ¡§demands from boss¡¨ and ¡§work requirements¡¨. Further, lacking a direction was the greatest problem facing those in our case studies and group discussions as they started their career. It is thus advisable to take this into account when considering the content of career training.

 (6)    Parents play a critical role in an adolescent¡¦s smooth transition from school to work.

 (7)    Less than 20% of secondary student respondents in our telephone survey had ¡§Career Life Planning¡¨ implemented in their schools; while a scholar believed that schools should expand the planning which helps young people realize their life goals and career plans. According to the results of our case studies, group discussions and interviews with experts and scholars, most secondary schools tended to emphasize on academic studies when providing career advice to students. Therefore, there is room for further development regarding career guidance services at secondary schools.

 (8)    There is an upward trend of students choosing to work in Mainland China. It shows that more young people in Hong Kong have realized that the Mainland provides an opportunity for their career development.

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