While depressing stories of people out of a job lining up for food coupons or even committing suicide can be seen in the news media in some countries, the unemployment rate in Macao is one of the lowest in the world. However, are people in Macao really doing the jobs that they dream of?

In Macao, the gaming industry dominates its economy, providing local people with abundant job opportunities. For most people in Macao, it is not difficult to get a job. Instead, people now focus more on salaries, welfare and benefits, company’s reputation and prospects during job hunting. Moreover, people tend to engage in the field of hotel and resort industry, which leads to a limited development in other industries.

An online survey has been conducted among 108 local citizens aged 18 or above recently, aiming to investigate young people in Macao, especially fresh graduates, of their employment intentions and expectations, as well as the difficulties that they are actually facing when finding jobs.

According to the survey, about 76.9% of the respondents plan to enter the work force right after graduation, with the majority planning to engage in the field of hotels or retail industries, while only 15.7% of them chose to further continue their study. Moreover, the social acceptance for young people engaging in the gaming industry is at a high level, the survey shows that more than 50% of the people stayed neutral or expressed that they are willing to enter the gaming industry. However, people tend to think that university graduates who work as dealers for fast money is “unacceptable”.

The survey also illustrates that more than half of the people are in doubt whether they would be able to choose jobs that are related to their areas of study in the future, which reveals that there is a lack of career choices in Macao. Furthermore, more than half of the people seldom or never change their jobs. Also, from the survey, there are 57.4% of them who have thought of starting up their own business, while others do not have such ideas mainly because of a lack of confidence and being afraid to take a risk.

In order to have a clearer and more in-depth picture of Macao’s employment prospect and the impact of the dominating gaming industry on young people’s job choices, we interviewed four specialists in related fields to share some of their thoughts and opinions on the issue.

Agnes Lam, assistant professor from the UM Communication Department.

“It’s a huge problem that Macao’s industry is excessively unitary,” said Agnes Lam, assistant professor from the Department of Communication, University of Macau (UM). “When I first became a journalist around the early 90s, the tax revenue from gaming sector only occupied about 30% of the government’s revenue, but now it has increased to almost 80%!”

Lam expressed that the main source of the government’s revenue reflects that Macao’s industrial development is too unitary. “The colossal gaming industry takes up most of the human resources and capital. For example, fresh graduates or talents will probably choose to engage in the gaming industry which can provide a more satisfied and higher salary comparing to other small firms. Therefore it is tough for other industries to develop because of the lack of qualified and talented people,” indicated Lam.

Moreover, the cost of living in Macao is rapidly increasing. It has become increasingly difficult for people to set up their own business with rising rental fees. “10 years ago, young people could afford to pay for their rent, which was around MOP1,500. But nowadays, unless they have MOP150,000, don’t even bother to think about it,” said Lam. The huge amount of start-up cost and risk-ridden situation for survival for small and medium-sized enterprises have left young people with no other choices.

“I encourage young people to have entrepreneurship. Still, it is really difficult to set up business in the current prospect. I suggest young people to be more flexible and make use of different methods and channels such as the Internet to break through the difficulties of expensive rental and limited human resources,” commented Lam. “I think the venture capital fund is good, but I doubt its effectiveness. It’d be better if the government could do more to help, like providing vacant venues.” Lam explained that the fund has its limitations under the expensive rental situation.

Zhidong Hao, professor from the UM Sociology Department.

However, Zhidong Hao, professor from the Sociology Department of UM holds a different opinion. “I’m afraid the general public is holding a wrong conception. People way too often complain that the government is not doing enough for them. But in my opinion, even though the Macao government is rich, people shouldn’t rely too much on the government for subsidy, it is their own responsibility. For example, the venture capital fund, I think MOP300,000 is already way too much! What more do they want?”

Hao said that what the government really should do is to take care of the well-being of young people, both physically and psychologically. “With the over-dominating gaming industry, young people could easily go astray. They could pick up the wrong value set and become really materialized,” Hao noted. He also advised young people to be realistic and not to be over-ambitious when looking for a job. “Everybody has an ambition to move up in society, but attitude is very important.”

Francesca Tam, the functional head of UM Future Studies and Placement Centre, resonated. “Holding the right attitude is very important, it’s a life-long learning process that we all need to master.” Tam encouraged young people not to place money as their priority when looking for a job. She pointed out that changing jobs too often is not such a good idea as it could have a negative effect on their credibility.

Francesca Tam, functional head of Future Studies and Placement Centre, Student Counseling and Development Section of UM Student Affairs Office.

Tam believed that Macao’s employment prospect is rather optimistic, with the unemployment rate falling to an astounding 1.7% recently. “It’s not hard to get a job in Macao, but finding a suitable job is,” Tam expressed. In Macao, getting a “dream” job is not that easy, especially for young people. Most people would blame it on the over-dominating gaming industry, but Tam presumed that the gaming industry is indeed invigorating and bringing along the development of other industries in Macao.

“What young people really need is a good career planning to explore their own potentials,” Tam recounted. “Personally speaking, I do support young people to start up their own business, although it would be more favorable if they start out working for a couple of years first, to pick up essential skills in learning how a business is run.”

Pan Lei, senior instructor of the UM’s Department of Communication, has a say on the concerned issue as well. He believes that Macao’s youth are not progressive enough in pursuing excellence. “Nowadays, jobs find people, and not the other way round. People don’t feel the need for self-improvement as it is easy to find jobs,” said Lei.

Pan Lei, senior instructor from the UM Communication Department, cultural commentator.

Lei remarked that Macao is currently earning “fast and easy” money. In order to build a prosperous society, Macao needs to diversify its revenue source, so that other industries could bloom. “Macao is still on a long journey from developing the cultural and creativity industries,” Lei added. “People focus too much on money. Youth are getting used to the consumerist lifestyle. Instead of making a living, a majority of them are earning money for material comfort,” Lei expressed.

Lei suggested that “self-exploration” is most important for young people when they first enter the work force. “Don’t just look at the money. Try out for other possibilities, search for your own interests, explore your ability and talent, and find out what is most suitable for you,” Lei concluded.

The post Making Your Own Choices appeared first on Umac Bridges Spring 2014.

“It was the most precious time I spent with my family. I loved playing games in my Dad’s arm, and I will never forget how fierce my mum became when she saw my papers with the word ‘no comment!’ marked!” recalled Sandra Wong, a 25-year-old mum, “and I would rush to my grandparents straightaway,” she added. This was the childhood most 90’s shared; for “millennium babies” however, they were brought up by “nannies”, not… mommies.

The government’s quota for importing domestic helpers from Guangdong has been oversubscribed, and according to the website of the Human Resource Office, the total number of domestic helpers in 2013 reached 20,000, which is five times of that in the year 2000. The above data indicates the need for domestic helpers is pressing. Moreover, six out of 10 parents work on shifts in casinos or hotels as cited in a census report carried out by economic analysts. They gave up some quality time with their children for a better life or, money indeed. The seed of a new parenting style has been sown.

“I will for sure miss my servant – Maria more than my parents when I am abroad!” said Venus Lei, a form six student who will go to UK for college next year. Domestic helpers are always the “saviors” of working parents because they cannot keep an eye on their children all the time. As time goes by, they gradually take the role of “parents” in children’s mind. Venus explained, “Maria brought me up and I am with her for more than 12 hours per day. I could feel her sincere effort, I consider her part of my family and she is definitely the one who understands me the most.”

To redeem the place in their children’s heart, and to purge the mind from guilt of spending insufficient time with them, working parents dote on their children by offering them whatever they want and they seldom blame their children for behaving inappropriately. Venus said, “I will go to my parents if I want something expensive as they always satisfy my requests; but I will go to Maria when I am bullied or need someone to talk to.” Yet, Venus’ mum, who owns a travel agency in Macao, claimed she is a “good and responsible” mother.

The responsibilities of domestic helpers are to help with housework and manage children’s daily diet, but not to take the role of “parents” as what they are doing nowadays. Parents have to try to understand their children by spending quality time with them and let them know you are doing everything for their sake. Excessive reliance on domestic helpers may make children drift apart from their parents.

The post A U-turn on Parenting Style appeared first on Umac Bridges Spring 2014.

“Life is short. I agree that people should try more when they are young,” said Tong Hoi Cheng, a 28-year-old construction subcontractor, also a member of the management board of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Macao (SME).

Tong Hoi Cheng

This is the 10th year since Tong started working at the age of 18. Having been working in eight different jobs and engaged in various fields of professions, it enriched his working experiences. “I was a car repairman, casino card dealer, construction site clerk, real estate agent, wine salesperson, land surveyor, taxi driver. Now I am a construction subcontractor,” Tong recalled.

Only after leaving school did he know the job market was the “the real world”. He considers that education limits one’s choices. Tong had only high-school qualification, so he could just find some elementary work or jobs with relatively lower requirements. “I knew that I was not ‘certified’ enough. Therefore, the jobs I worked in were easy to get in and required a low education profile,” Tong said frankly.

He tasted the sweet and bitter of working. In his very first job as a repairman he had an interesting experience. “I crawled and lay under cars, it was funny and exciting. I even broke dozens of screws,” Tong commented amusedly. Sometimes, accidents were inevitable, especially in the construction industry. “Once, I carelessly stepped on the bamboo scaffold. A bamboo was broken into two pieces suddenly. Crack! I fell off from the third floor to the second. I was like a roasted duck hanging on the bamboo. The bamboo was old and fragile, so it wasn’t able to support me,” Tong added with a chill.

Everything is difficult at the very beginning. Working in the construction industry as an apprentice, Tong put tremendous effort to master the skill. He commented that the construction industry prefers “self-learning” instead of “hands-on guidance”. They don’t like teaching others. Unlike studying theories from a book, construction work is all about practical experiences and operations. “No matter if you studied engineering or not, you need to devote time to learn it. The only way you can learn is by standing aside and observing how others do it. After you acquired the knowledge, you try to work it out by yourself,” said Tong.

Tong holds an unconventional view about changing jobs. “I am lucky to come from a relatively well-off family. Thus, I don’t have to worry too much about the salary. Without a life burden, I am able to try whatever I want to do,” Tong added. There is always a reason behind one’s decision. He considered “seeking for the sense of freshness” as the most important reason when he changed jobs. “Whenever I was bored with what I was doing or I felt lost in life direction. I knew that it was time for me to find another job. It is all because I want to learn and explore different aspects. Also, I want to experience how other people work,” Tong remarked. Moreover, he believes that changing jobs can help him know and understand better which job or field is most suitable for him.

After working for so many different jobs, Tong is satisfied with what he has done so far. “My working experience has widened and diversified my way of thinking, opened up my horizon. I have acquired more knowledge and gained more experience. Therefore, my analytical skill has been improved and I’ve learned to understand others,” Tong said delightedly.

TThe construction site of the public housing in Fai Chi Kei.

“Learn and grow as you work.” Tong mentioned that some youths regard themselves as the underachieved because of the insufficient time they spent working in the same industry. “In many industries, you need to devote time to learn. You will learn the basics. The more time you spend, the more solid basis you have. With a good foundation, you become capable of handling higher positions and it leads you to more opportunities,” Tong concluded.

“I consider my current job as my life-long career. I love my job. Therefore, I will devote myself heart and soul to my work,” Tong remarked determinedly.

The post Change, Change, Change… appeared first on Umac Bridges Spring 2014.

There are approximately 7,500 mainland students currently studying in Macao, according to the Tertiary Education Services Office (GAES). As the demand for workforce in the local job market increases, whether to permit this large number of students to work in Macao during their study period and after graduation has surfaced to the public agenda and generated a wide debate in society.

Antonio Ng, a member of the Macao Legislative Assembly.

Referring to the City’s Statistics and Census Service, Macao’s unemployment rate from November 2013 to January 2014 dropped to 1.7%, the lowest since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region in December 1999. However, Chief Executive, Chui Sai On, claimed that the demand for workforce would continuously increase due to the prospective completion of casinos projects in 2016. From the government’s point of view, mainland students could be considered a potential workforce for the local job market, according to the consultation on the “Macao’s Future Population Policy” in late 2013.

However, dissenting voices are constantly raised in society. Antonio Ng, a member of the Macao Legislative Assembly, is one of the dissidents. “I respect those potential workers with their knowledge and input. However, if this policy is implemented in this short term, those mainland students would probably be supplied to meet mainly the demand of workers in the gaming industry,” said Ng.

In Ng’s opinion, this policy would only be taken into account on the premise of “well-diversified economy”. However, Ng said that Macao’s economy is lacking diversity at present, which mainly centers on gaming and tourism. “Macao would be in a vacuum for developing a diversified economy until 2020. Due to the implementation of the ‘Framework Agreement on Cooperation between Guangdong and Macao’, Macao would mainly focus on making investments around Guangdong,” he concluded.

Cheong, a local senior student.

Furthermore, one of the concerns about the measure is related to the admission of universities in Macao. According to Rector of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Peter Stilwell, USJ expects to recruit mainland students for the following academic year due to a shortage of local student population. Hence, this policy may become a possible highlight for local universities to attract mainland students. Nevertheless, it is expected that universities might excessively recruit mainland students if the policy would be approved, which might violate the objective of local universities to cultivate local students. Additionally, it is important to note that Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST) has over half of their students coming from the mainland at the moment, according to GAES.

Cherry Cheong, a local senior student, is also against permitting mainland students to work in Macao. “It is not necessary, as this measure will only benefit the business community, not society eventually. Besides, mainland students are eligible to apply for a work permit if they really want to work in Macao after their graduation,” she said.

On the other hand, half of the mainland students would like to work in Macao if this policy is approved, according to the research done by the Macao Youth Research Association. “This would turn into a good measure with suitable conditions since it is beneficial not only to mainland students, but also to Macao society. Undoubtedly, it would arouse the competitive awareness among local students,” said Ling Tan, a mainland senior student.

Tan, a mainland senior student.

Referring to neighboring regions, such as Hong Kong, under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG), a non-local student who obtained a bachelor degree and above would be granted 12 months’ stay on time limitation to find a job in Hong Kong after graduation, extension of stay would be applied with proof of employment afterwards. In addition, the Hong Kong government gives a non-local student one year of curriculum-related internship arranged by the institutions s/he is studying in. A non-local student is allowed to have part-time jobs, which must be on-campus for not more than 20 hours per week. Meanwhile, they could get summer jobs without any limitation of working hours and location. This could be used as reference for Macao to further consider the possibility of this policy.

The post Mainland Students, Possible Workforce? appeared first on Umac Bridges Spring 2014.

“The grade means everything” that’s what parents tell their children nowadays. They just want their children to get the perfect grade. Children’s all-round development, however, has been omitted. That, of course, as time goes by, children still rely on their parents. Is score really so important for a child?

Veronica Cheong, the principal of a continuing education institute.

Veronica Cheong, the principal of a continuing education institute, who has devoted herself to education for five years, pointed out the problem. “In order to enhance the reputation, schools in Macao grade children by scores, that causes the phenomenon ‘the weak will be separated from the strong’.” Cheong stated that she has met students who have high academic performance, but have little self-caring abilities. They are asked to only focus on their study, while their parents take care of everything else for them. These children have become incapable of handling simple problems in their daily lives, just because they are educated to think that achieving high grades is the only thing that matters.

The condition is influential to the development of children, either in the aspect of mental health or self-confidence. “It lowers their comprehensive capacity and reaction to setbacks” Cheong commented. It is critical for children to be confident about themselves. Parents tend to blame children for not focusing on their studies and fail to see their potential. Teachers and parents should give the children compliments, or even small rewards, to encourage their achievements in daily lives, said Cheong.

In fact, once children build up their confidence, they also develop a sense of self-identification. It allows them to do what they are interested in and passionate about, besides studying. With parents and teachers’ encouragement and support, they can have better development. “As they build up their confidence, their horizon will be widened; without parents and teachers’ pressure, their confidence and self-caring ability will be boosted,” said Cheong.

Cheong suggested that parents can train children from small things in their lives and encourage them to take care of themselves, instead of doing everything for them. This should be applied to their daily lives, don’t just push them to study. Giving children more freedom to do what they want.

“Learning is more than just the grades,” she said, it is not difficult to train children to live independently, but it’s difficult to make parents change their mindset and give their children a chance to develop in an all-around way.

The post ‘Learning is More Than Scoring’ appeared first on Umac Bridges Spring 2014.

Statlink: https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/888932561006

Reported in The Equity and Quality in Education, almost half of the student population prior to the tertiary system in Macao have experience of retaining in the same grade for another year, though the “retaining policy” was not suggested. Instead of financial aids for tuition to repeated students, the government is advised to pay close attention to their mental needs and review the possibility for a more diversified and integrated education system promptly.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Macao increased by 14.30% in the fourth quarter of 2013 over the same period of the previous years cited the economic analyst website. The number of tourists has increased by 8% in the first two months of 2014. Reclaimed land is fully-utilized for casino development. Hotels are packed. All this data is evidence that the government has done a fabulous job in terms of economic growth. Macao gaming and leisure industry is now well-known worldwide. Yet, the education system is yet to be raised to the international level.

Students in Macao enjoy 15 years of free education provided by the government, from the pre-elementary school to high school. Students who, though, failed their promotion still enjoy the aid, as long as they are enrolled in school. They have difficulties catching up with the curriculums. Yet, they keep repeating the classes until they are lucky enough to pass, without proper help and concern from the officials, the schools and their parents. Parents who have great ambitions for their children are willing to invest in return for a good academic report, which prompted a boost in the number of tutorial centers in Macao.

HH

“With no surprise, most of our students’ parents work in casinos and hotels on a 24-hour-shift rotation,” said William Ieong, owner of a tutorial center which has been open since 2008. He continued, “They send their children to my center for two reasons, to improve their academic performance, as well as to “babysit” their kids.” The round-the-clock operation in casinos and hotels require staff to work on shift and they cannot schedule their own roaster. Erratic working hours prevent them from taking care of their children.

Can tutorial centers guarantee a good academic pay off? Cases of students being bullied and humiliated in tutorial centers are increasing. The quality of tutoring centers in Macao is under limited official supervision. Ieong mentioned that the tutoring industry has low entry barriers. “With money and a bachelor degree major in any field, you can then set up a tutorial center in Macao!”

The problem of unregulated tutoring centers is prone to be solved in connection with the discussion concerning the grade repetition policy. For example, the retain policy can be replaced by a compulsory summer course which urges students to study during a holiday break and keep up with the studies in particular subjects, which is evidenced to be a practical measure in foreign countries.

The post An Alternative to Old-fashioned Retain Policy appeared first on Umac Bridges Spring 2014.

Colleges in Macao have their own system of education such as teaching materials and examination regulations. They also have varied entrance exams and admission policy. It’s thus difficult for the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) to introduce a new university entrance exam of innovation and unification.

This change has become a new hot topic in Macao. It is controversial whether students should be evaluated by a unified examination to get into a university. Compared to other major cities in China, Macao students currently suffer less stress in study and have higher chance getting into universities. It is also rather easier for new graduates to find a job with the current low unemployment rate. Macao local students seem to have a bigger room for building a desirable life. Students, however, consider this scheme of unified university entrance exam an enormous challenge.

When asked of the opinion towards the scheme of unified university entrance exam in the near future, interviewees included teachers, students and parents, expressed varied opinions.

Interviews

Luzhen Zhang, Parent

Luzhen Zhang, Parent: The unified examination can improve the education level in Macao and competitiveness of Macao students. Students can avoid too many entrance examinations in a period so that they can concentrate to study for one, since in the past there were different content and examination papers required by different colleges and universities.

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

Lemon Cheon, High school student

Lemon Cheon, High school student: I do not agree with it. The teaching materials are varied in different high schools. It is hard to design a fair content for every student. Students may suffer a big stress because the unified exam means there is only one chance.

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

Enen Chan,
High school student

Enen Chan, High school student: For students who study well, it’s better to take one unified exam. However, for students who do not study very well, there may be fewer chances for them to apply for universities with this new scheme. Therefore, I disagree with the unified exam.

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

Bo Chen Wu,
Teacher

Bo Chen Wu, Teacher: If there’s a unified exam, high school students can follow a clear direction to study, and teachers do not need to analyze examination papers of different colleges year by year. On the other hand, high schools may be labeled by grades students achieve in the unified exam. Parents would choose the school which has a good reputation and some ordinary high schools may face the difficult situation in student recruitment. Moreover, some students have to apply for jobs if they fail in the unified exam.

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

hhhhh

In conclusion, it’s hard to say whether the unified examination is suitable for Macao or not. Some people may think that it is fair for all students who apply for university, but some students think that there’ll be fewer chances for them and they will suffer more stress.

“The implementation of a unified exam can improve the education level of Macao in the long run. It will increase the competitiveness of Macao students, and reduce the pressure of Macao students who have to take many university entrance exams. There’ll be studies regarding this issue conducted by the education department for reference,” Ng Bik San, chief secretary of the General Association of Chinese Students, Macao, expressed her opinion.

The post New Macao University Entrance Exam appeared first on Umac Bridges Spring 2014.

As a university student, what’s bothering you? Have you ever thought of your future career? Nowadays, people tend to find a job that is not related to their major studies and incline to work in the mainstream careers.

Unlike majors with identifiable professions such as Law and Education, there are some majors which do not define a clear professional career in society. Stella Leong, a fresh graduate from the University of Macau (UM) with a sociology major, is now working as a clerk in accounting. “There is no specific profession for my major,” said Leong.

“It’s hard to get into the translation field,” responded Agnes Lao, a graduate from the Macao Polytechnic Institute (IPM) majoring in Chinese-English Translation. She is now working as a clerk in an offshore company. Facing the difficult job market, graduates would search for jobs which can offer favored treatments from the mainstream industries. Lao said that the main task of her job does not require much knowledge related to translation. She somehow thought that she could not apply the knowledge she learned in the four years’ translation program. However, she is satisfied with the salary and welfare benefits with her current job.

Source: DSEC

Due to the rapid growth of the gaming and hotel industries in Macao, a massive number of manpower is in demand. According to the employment survey of November 2013 to January 2014 conducted by the Macau Statistics and Census Service (DSEC), recreational, cultural, gaming and other services have occupied 26.2% of the total employment and 14.7% are occupied by hotels, restaurants and similar businesses. Moreover, the survey on the manpower needs and wages on the gaming sector – second quarter 2013 from the DSEC shows that there was an increase of 2,820 full-time employees yearly with a total of 54,554 employees. Also, there were 24,031 dealers with an average income of MOP16,720.

Ken Chang, a graduate from the Macao University of Science and Technology (MUST), has the interest to work in the creative industry. However, he is planning to work in the casinos because he thinks that the creative industry does not have a favorable and stable income. Both Lao and Leong said that they have many friends who face the same situation as theirs. “Most of them have ended up working for the gaming industry,” Lao mentioned. “People jump on the bandwagon working for the same jobs,” added Leong.

Chang indicated that it is better off to work in the gaming industry due to the rapid growth as well as the heavy demand. Nevertheless, this phenomena narrows job opportunities for university graduates and makes other industries difficult to survive at the same time.

The post Why Jump on the Bandwagon? appeared first on Umac Bridges Spring 2014.