The University of Hong Kong (HKU) recently released two survey reports on graduates’ early career performances and employers’ perspectives, highlighting HKU graduates’ strong competitiveness and salary growth amid a challenging employment environment.

The ‘Industry Report for Early Career: Bridging Future – Employer Insights on Graduate Career Readiness for Hong Kong’, published by the HKU Centre of Development and Resources for Students in July 2025, is Hong Kong’s first career report focusing on employers’ perspectives. The report gathered opinions from over 1,800 major local industry employers (covering Information Technology, Business Services, Finance and Insurance, Engineering, Community services, and more), 320 employer responses and 16 focus group interviews. It provides an in-depth analysis of the core expectations of employers, their recruitment priorities, and the performance evaluations of graduates to help students enhance their employability and seize career opportunities in Hong Kong.

The report identifies the top three skills for workplace success, which are work attitude, interpersonal skills, and analytical and problem-solving abilities. Skills that used to be prioritised, like language proficiency, have shifted to digital, analytical, and soft skills. Success in securing employment hinges on thorough research of target companies, tailored CVs aligned with job descriptions, and readiness to proceed quickly after application submissions. Commercial awareness and understanding of industry trends are also crucial.

Perhaps most noteworthy is the strong endorsement HKU graduates continue to receive from employers. Despite some sectors facing temporary recruitment freezes, the report indicates a resilient confidence in HKU’s talent pipeline. The fact that 99.4% of employers plan to continue their hiring of HKU graduates demonstrates a sustained belief in their preparedness and potential to contribute to Hong Kong’s evolving workforce.

This positive outlook is echoed in HKU’s most recent rankings, rising to 11th place in the QS World University Rankings 2026, with particular recognition of its employer reputation. Such accolades reinforce HKU’s reputation as a leading source of highly employable graduates.

Another report published in August 2025, the ‘2024 HKU Graduate Employment Survey’, focuses on the employment performance of Bachelor’s degree graduates in 2024. Despite economic fluctuations and employment market uncertainties, HKU graduates performed admirably, with a record-high average monthly gross salary of HK$33,492, a 4.7% year-on-year increase, and once again topping universities in Hong Kong. The employment rate of HKU graduates also reached 98.7%. Among 3,792 full-time Bachelor’s degree graduates, 83% participated in the survey, 98.6% secured employment before the end of December 2024, and 95.8% chose to work in Hong Kong. Commerce and Industry, accounting for 45.9%, remains the predominant employment sector. Among non-local graduates, 50.8% are employed — a 2.1% year-on-year increase — while 41.9% chose to continue their studies. Of the non-local graduates who are employed, over 74% work in Hong Kong, with 10% working in the Chinese Mainland.

Looking ahead, HKU plans to leverage these insights to refine its career development programmes and strengthen university-industry collaborations. The University is dedicated to equipping students with future-ready skills, supporting graduate success, and cultivating a robust talent pipeline that meets the needs of Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity.

For employers, these findings reaffirm HKU’s position as a trusted partner in talent development, promising a steady stream of capable graduates ready to support Hong Kong’s continued growth and innovation.

Links to reports:

Early Career Report: Bridging the Future https://www.cedars.hku.hk/IndustryReport

2024 HKU Graduate Employment Survey (English Version) https://www.cedars.hku.hk/index.php?route=information/download&hash=8c7b13271bb0416a858a1b2232c6709f