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Building a Career in the PRD

Almost 100 Hong Kong youths joined the recent Pearl for Youth study mission to learn what career prospects are open to them in the Pearl River Delta, writes THINEX SHEK

An estimated 240,000 Hong Kong people live and work in the Mainland, a number that is expected to grow in tandem with the closer economic integration of Hong Kong and the PRD. The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) is accelerating this shift, and creating more career opportunities for Hong Kong youths interested in looking north of the border.

To help Hong Kong's future workforce discover what job prospects the PRD can offer them, HKGCC and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) organised a youth study mission to Guangzhou, Dongguan and Shenzhen on December 18-20, 2003. The trip was part of the ongoing Pearl for Youth project, launched by the Chamber and Standard Chartered Bank, with backing from the HKFYG, in 2003.  The project aims to teach youths how to equip themselves with the right skills and tools to develop successful careers on the Mainland.

During the three-day trip, the youths met with Guangdong, Shenzhen and Hong Kong officials, visited five Mainland, Hong Kong and foreign-owned enterprises, and talked with over 20 Hong Kong professionals working in the Mainland. The experience allowed almost 100 Hong Kong youths participating in the trip to draw their own conclusions on what it is like to live and work in the PRD.

Participants on the trip, led by HKGCC Senior Director of Business Policy Dr W K Chan and HKFYG Deputy Executive Director Mr Paul Chan, with HKFYG Executive Director Dr Rosanna Wong and HKGCC CEO Dr Eden Woon being honorary leaders, said they were very excited about the prospects of building a career on the Mainland.

On the last day of the trip, participants -- mostly tertiary students and a few teachers -- were joined by an additional 100 youths to attend the "Pearl for Youth Conference" in Shenzhen.  The city's Vice Mayor Chen Yingchun told the visitors that professionals, not general workers, are needed to support the city's growth, which grew by 17 percent in the first 10 months of 2003.

"In fact, Shenzhen enterprises have given strong emphasis on training IT talent, and are already recruiting professionals from Europe and the U.S.," he said.

Shenzhen officials said they believe Hong Kong youths are generally well educated, adaptable and international in their outlook -- qualities that can help them find careers in the Mainland. They added that professionals in the electronics, IT, logistics, business and travel services sectors, especially, are in strong demand.

While the short trip and half-day conference cannot dispel overnight any hesitation that Hong Kong youths may have about going north, it has helped them take the first step towards accessing China and raised their basic understanding of the PRD.

Participants also learned first-hand from the organisers, host organisations and speakers who shared openly their experiences and knowledge on working in the Mainland. This gave the delegation an on-the-ground understanding of actual working and living conditions in the PRD.

Dr Wong said the "Pearl for Youth" project aims to open Hong Kong youths' eyes to the potential opportunities that a career on the Mainland could offer them. Concerns about lower salaries than Hong Kong should not be overly dwelt on, she said. Instead, young professionals should look at the potential that solid work experience on the Mainland would mean for their long-term career prospects.

Economic integration between Hong Kong and the PRD will accelerate the mobility of human resources, she said. With this inevitable trend, young professionals should widen their horizons to the possibility of seeking jobs in markets other than just in Hong Kong.

She added that Hong Kong youths should raise their expectations of themselves and adopt a life-long learning philosophy that extends to Mainland issues. By having a sound understanding of the Mainland, young professionals will be in a better position to decide if and how they can kick-start their careers by "going north."

As a knowledge-based economy, Dr Woon said that talent is Hong Kong's most valuable asset. With the implementation of CEPA, talented, confident youths with a good understanding of the Mainland will be in high demand.

He urged Hong Kong youths to broaden their horizons and carefully study how they can develop their careers on the Mainland.  

For more details on the Pearl for Youth project, visit www.chamber.org.hk/pfy.  

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