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A recent survey conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups found that firemen, doctors and judges were the top three professionals most respected and trusted by young people. Young people gave an average mark of 8 or above on a 0-10 point scale in respect to these two areas for the three groups. At the bottom of the list were property agents and insurance agents.
To be a fireman or judge were also considered the top two occupations that received high praise for professional ethics. Social workers came third, followed by doctors who were believed to be the ones making the easiest money. On the contrary, journalists were considered the ones earning the least money although they were also viewed as one the four professions having great social influence.
Legislators were ranked having the greatest social influence.
Around 30 per cent of respondents said that an occupation worthy of respect depended on whether the occupation had contributed to society.
Those occupations greatly respected by young people were also bottom of the list occupations that had the greatest chances of being corrupted in youths’ views. This suggested that an occupation frequently accused of corruption, as conceived by young people, was one possible factor that affected young peoples’ perception of it. Policemen and businessmen had the greatest chance to commit corruption, accounting for 42.1 per cent and 24.2 per cent of respondents’ answers respectively. Around 20 per cent of respondents said civil servants were most likely to commit corruption.
The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups conducted this telephone survey from 14 to 18 December 1998. A total of 503 young people, aged 15 to 29, were successfully interviewed. The survey listed 17 occupations that aroused public’s attention in recent months and were popular in the world of youth. The survey requested respondents to make comments on different occupations.
The survey found that judges had the highest social status in youth's views, followed by lawyers and doctors.
Among the 17 occupations, doctors and businessmen were said to be the two occupations that made the easiest money. However, athletes, social workers and journalists were placed at the bottom of the list.
The two most popular occupations for respondents were disciplined services and medical and health services. The greatest number of respondents attributed the reason to wanting a career in a particular industry that suited to own aspirations and interests.
Journalists were ranked only at the middle in the list of those with the most respectable profession, the most reliable profession, and profession with the most satisfactory professional ethnic. However, more than 20 per cent of youth believed that journalism was the occupation that had the greatest social influence. The findings suggested that young people, on the one hand, realized the significance of journalists' performance, and on the other had reservations about their credibility.
Miss Sharon Cheung Ching Wan, the research officer of the Federation, said that young people paid high respect to firemen which could be because they risked their lives to save people and their property from fire.
Miss Cheung said that a credible and effective police force was one of the major factors in ensuring the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong society. However, the survey found that policemen were regarded as people having the greatest chances of committing corruption. The finding, to a certain extent, suggested that young people had reservations about the credibility of the police force. Miss Cheung urged the police to improve the corruption problem within the force to revitalize young people's confidence.
Youth Opinion Polls No. 61
