A little while ago I was invited to an event on continuing professional education organised by the trade. In my address to the assembly, I quoted some classic maxims on education by Mr Cai Yuanpei, a renowned chancellor of Peking University, for the benefit of my audience. As Mr Cai believed that the educational enterprise should be a collaborative effort, I had this to say about the task ahead: "What we are pursuing is neither learning nor achievement, but the creation of an ethos of learning and a trend for the pursuit of education." (2) While we may not have an impact on millions of our fellow countrymen comparable to that of Peking University at the time of the May 4th Movement, we may yet "create an influence upon Hong Kong, provide leadership for a trade however modest, and appeal to practitioners of an entire generation!"

I still have vivid memories of the tragic gloom that prevailed in the estate agency industry when I joined EAA three years ago. This was caused in part by the SARS outbreak and the resultant economic doldrums. To a certain extent, it also reflected practitioners’ perceptions that there were neither career prospects in the industry nor social recognition for those who were engaged in it.

This pessimism has since been always on my mind. After all, work occupies most of our time, and one will certainly be miserable and cannot enjoy his career if he is doing work that he dislikes or even despises.

However, things have apparently changed for the better in recent times. There are now more and more representatives of the trade who advise me on how the community's understanding of the importance of the industry has grown. At the same time, the educational qualifications among young entrants to the trade are on the rise. All these are certainly very encouraging to me. I also feel that the people around me, my colleagues not excepted, have developed greater consensus and rapport with me. It may very well be that our Continuing Professional Development Scheme has brought about this turning point. More people now have a favourable impression of the estate agency trade, our seminars by community leaders are given to packed houses, and words that urge us on to more and better work are well received after each of these sessions.

I do have expectations for the trade leaders as well as for myself. What we are pursuing hand-in-hand is neither profound learning nor personal achievement. We are aiming at a change in habits and practices, and benevolence and justice of a higher order.

While we should not unrealistically raise our self-esteem, it is equally wrong for us to be overly self-effacing.

Chief Executive Officer and colleagues from the Professional Development Section, which is responsible for examination and training matters.