To watch this presentation, click our video. 

At a roundtable luncheon on 8 February, speakers from the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) of the U.S. and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) shared the results of surveys on young people’s education choices, and lifestyle and employment aspirations. 

NSHSS President James Lewis said that getting a place on a graduate school programme remains the first choice for most teenagers. Women are significantly more inclined to want to work in the medical and healthcare sector, while male students mostly prefer STEM fields. 

The survey also revealed that, when considering job offers, Generation Z is concerned about fair treatment, advancement opportunities and work-life balance in addition to salary and benefits. 

Amy Yuen and Keith Leung from the HKFYG Youth Research Centre revealed their findings on recent changes to working practices and hours in Hong Kong. In their survey covering more than 500 working youths aged 15-34, over 50% of respondents said they were flexi-workers. 

Despite the unstable income and insufficient labour protection of part-time work, these workers said that they enjoyed having greater control over their working hours and the flexibility to choose high-paying part-time jobs. 

Members of the young workforce in Hong Kong are looking beyond salary to elements such as flexible working, career development and time to develop their personal interests.