One of the key developments in the recent Government restructure was the creation of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, from the former Home Affairs Bureau. Culture, sports and tourism have moved to their own department, while the change in name demonstrates the shift towards a greater focus on Hong Kong’s young people.
HKGCC welcomes this renewed emphasis on the city’s youth. Today’s schoolchildren and university students are tomorrow’s business leaders and entrepreneurs, so it benefits the whole city if they are encouraged to grow and learn, and to fulfil their potential.
The Chamber is pleased to have played a role over the years in encouraging the development of the city’s young people. For more than 20 years, the Business-School Partnership (BSP) Programme has been a fixture on the HKGCC calendar, giving high-school students the opportunity to visit businesses, meet staff in different roles, and see what goes on behind the scenes.
The various BSP activities introduce the students to careers, companies and even sectors that they may not have known about otherwise. By providing this connection with the business world, we can open their eyes to the many opportunities available, and also help to build trust between the different generations.
Besides our flagship BSP Programme, we have also been ramping up our other student activities in the past few years, adding a number of competitions for students in third-level education such as our Business Case Competition and the Pitch Perfect Programme. We have also organized and supported internship schemes for students and recent graduates.
We have been delighted to see not only the enthusiasm of the student participants, but also the commitment of our members who have supported these projects. From sponsoring and judging competitions to giving talks and mentoring, and offering internships, HKGCC members have really stepped up to help us build bridges with the city’s youth.
In fact, to facilitate the interest among members in connecting with students, we are currently developing an online portal where businesses can post internships, trainee schemes and graduate jobs. This platform will also help our member companies to attract the brightest and most proactive young people in Hong Kong to work for them amid a tight job market.
I’d like to thank all of our members that have supported our student activities, particularly amid the uncertainty and restrictions of the past few years. By hosting online talks and other events, the sponsor companies have ensured that these programmes have been able to continue even amid the pandemic.
We are now planning our schedule for the new academic year, when we hope we will be able to resume more in-person activities. If you are interested in participating in any of our student programmes, please do get in touch: we would be delighted to have your support.
George Leung
[email protected]