(Hong Kong, 11 Apr 2023) – Federation of Hong Kong Industries (“FHKI”) and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (“HKSTP”) co-organise “Innopreneur Experience Journey Cohort 2”, bringing around 40 local secondary school students to join a unique and unforgettable internship journey, immersing themselves in an atmosphere fueled with technology, creativity, and new industry. The opening ceremony of the event was successfully held today (11 April) at FHKI, with the honour of having Mr Clarence Leung, Under Secretary for Home Affairs and Youth Affairs, as the officiating guest, joining the corporate representatives to witness the beginning of an extraordinary journey for the participating students.
Over the four days, students will intern at FHKI member companies and HKSTP partner companies, gaining hands-on experience in the working environment of the industrial and I&T sectors, as well as understanding the latest developments and employment prospects in the field. In addition, they will also visit specially invited FHKI member companies, the Hong Kong Science Park, and the InnoPark. The organisers hope that this job shadowing experience journey will not only broaden the students' horizons but also inspire their interest in the industrial and I&T sectors, helping them make the best decisions for their future education and career planning.
Sponsored by SINO Group and partnered with Po Leung Kuk Life Planning & Financial Education Centre, a total of 18 FHKI and HKSTP partner companies have participated in the event, providing students with "executive shadowing" experiences, workplace visits, hands-on work opportunities, and serving as student mentors, all in a joint effort to nurture the pillars of the future.
FHKI and HKSTP Chairman Dr Sunny Chai said, “In December last year, the government announced the "Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint" and the "Youth Development Blueprint" in succession, highlighting the close relationship between I&T and youth nurture. With the strong support of the nation and the Government, Hong Kong has entered a golden age of I&T and new industrialisation, resulting in a boost in demand for talent. We look forward to continuously hosting experience journeys, attracting more young people to join our ranks and nurturing new forces for the development of the industry.”
The Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Mr Clarence Leung said: ”Hong Kong's innovation, technology and industrial development will require a large number of talents in the future. This experiential career and life planning can help young people deepen their interest in innovation and technology and understand the development trend of the country and the world. Being one of the important hubs, Hong Kong can expand opportunities to cities in the Greater Bay Area, other mainland markets, Southeast Asian markets, and even the world. The SAR government hopes to unite various forces, promote cooperation between the government, business, and the society, and jointly promote youth development.”
Mr Ricky Chan, Executive Deputy Chairman, FHKI, believed that the crux of the shortage of manpower faced by Hong Kong's I&T sectors for many years is the lack of interest among young people to join the industry. He said, “We hope that this event will increase students’ awareness of the I&T industries. We urge the Government to allocate more resources towards promoting STEM education in primary and secondary schools, and to encourage and guide young individuals to pursue opportunities in emerging industries. This will help develop the necessary talent to drive diversified economic growth in Hong Kong.”
Ms Fanny Wong, Head of Talents and Human Resources, HKSTP, said, “Majoring in science or computer-related subjects is not a prerequisite for one to join the I&T sector. Supporting roles in marketing and design, for example, are there for you to showcase your strengths in I&T. I hope that participating students will go a step further out of the classroom during this four-day programme to experience Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem on the ground and get prepared for future university study or career development.”
Ir Andrew Young, Associate Director (Innovation) of Sino Group, said, “Nurturing talents is key to Hong Kong’s sustainable development and future success. Youth entrepreneurship is vital to the start-up ecosystem as well as Hong Kong’s growth into an international innovation and technology hub. We would like to thank our partners the Federation of Hong Kong Industries and the Hong Kong Science Park for spearheading this experiential programme to help to enrich young people’s understanding of the industries and scaling the experience to support our young generations to realise their potential and reach out for their dreams. We also extend our congratulations and best wishes to the aspiring young entrepreneurs for completing the experiential programme.”
The Closing Graduation Ceremony, including sharing sessions of participating students and company representatives, will be held at Science Park on 14 April (this Friday). With an aim to nurture a new generation of young talent for the I&T and industrial sectors, we hope to organise more Innopreneur Experience Journeys in the future, creating more opportunities for local students to engage with emerging industries. FHKI and HKSTP will continue to join hands in bringing together people from different backgrounds and experiences, creating a diversified and vibrant I&T and industrial ecosystem in Hong Kong.
Full lists of participating companies and schools are attached in Appendixes 1 and 2 respectively.
