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ranco is not an ordinary taxi ployee. But when you are a taxi driver, in which you can excel,” he says.
driver. He graduated from the the power hierarchy is reversed. You He cites the case of Steve Jobs, who
FDepartment of Chinese Lan- will never see a passenger who dares had already found his own talents be-
guage and Literature at Hong Kong to rebuke a driver,” he says. fore dropping out of college. With a
Shue Yan University. Passionate about Despite having higher academic clear direction in mind, Jobs further
writing, he also manages a Facebook qualifications, Franco still has to learn explored his potentials and made
page (我的你的紅的) where he from experienced taxi drivers. “I re- ground-breaking inventions.
shares his encounters with passengers spect them [other taxi drivers] very Others may not agree with his
of diverse background. much,” he says. He appreciates how choice, but his way of living gives him
“In the past, I valued a lot on the the experienced drivers observe and a sense of accomplishment. “All occu-
importance of a degree certificate. I analyse traffic patterns of passengers. pations deserve equal respect. There
have neglected other skills that we “You have to know these skills to isn’t one that is more superior to the
have learnt at universities,” says Fran- look for passengers in order to max- other,” he says.
co, who has been a taxi driver since imise profits. But you can never learn According to a report conducted
2016. these from textbooks,” says Franco. by two political groups in 2018, 16.4
per cent of degree holders in Hong
Realising his passion for Discovering one’s talents Kong worked in low-skilled positions.
being a driver and potentials
Franco worked as a tutor for five Looking back, Franco firmly says Following her heart to be a tattooist
years before he became a taxi driver. that he does not regret going to uni- Franco is not the only case. Jayers
While he was in tutoring, he asked versity. For him, the functions of Ko, a female tattoo artist who gradu-
himself: “How far could I go in ten university education are to nurture ated from the Department of Psychol-
years?” Reaching a deadlock in his critical thinking skills, and more im- ogy at the Chinese University of Hong
career with no hope of promotion op- portantly, interpersonal skills. Kong (CUHK), realises the impor-
portunities, he resigned. But a certificate does not mean a tance of staying true to herself.
What attracted him to be a taxi promising future. “It is not a must to Before studying at CUHK, she
driver was the high degree of auton- study at universities. What matters is pursued veterinary education in Aus-
omy. “You may get scolded as an em- that you have to find a particular area tralia. “Australians are different from

The percentage of university graduates engaging in
low-skilled positions from 2007 to 2017

Source: Comparative Research on University Gradu-
ates of Different Generations by New Century Forum
Photo courtesy of Franco and New Youth Forum (1987-2017)