The HKTDC Education & Careers Expo provides a valuable platform for educational institutions, government departments and private enterprises to communicate directly with the public by disseminating up-to-date information on further studies and career opportunities.

The Public Records Office (PRO) of the Government Records Service (GRS) today (2 September) launches the annual thematic exhibition "Wedding Stories in Archives", to revisit with members of the public the evolution of Hong Kong's marriage systems and wedding customs.The “Wedding Stories in Archives” exhibition presents over 70 selected items. Apart from PRO’s holdings, there are also items from the Hong Kong Museum of History, the Immigration Department, and the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Archives, to guide members of the public in exploring the evolution of the following Hong Kong’s marriage systems and customs:-various ways in which couples tied the knot before the enactment of marriage law;-the earliest law related to civil marriage was enacted in 1852;-the validity of marriages performed during the Japanese Occupation; and-the institutionalisation of monogamous marriage in 1971.Many traditional wedding customs have fallen out of favour or been simplified as times flied. Images displaying in the exhibition, including register of betrothal gifts, notices about marriages, and scenes of the bride being carried to the bridegroom’s place in a red sedan chair, offer glimpses into Hong Kong’s past wedding customs. Additionally, the exhibition revisits the development of marriage registries, including the opening of the first Sub-Registry for marriages in Kowloon in 1956, the relocation of Principal Marriage Registry to the High Block of the Hong Kong City Hall in 1962, etc. — places steeped in collective memory of citizens.The “Wedding Stories in Archives” exhibition is open from today (2 September) onwards from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. (except public holidays) at the Exhibition Hall on the second floor of the Hong Kong Public Records Building at 13 Tsui Ping Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon. Admission is free. To enhance visitors’ experience, a new optical illusion backdrop featuring traditional wedding themes has been exclusively set up near the entrance to the Exhibition Hall. Visitors who complete missions on the exhibition leaflet will receive special souvenirs.  To facilitate those who are unable to visit in person, the PRO has developed an online exhibition（https://www.grs.gov.hk/ws/online/wedding/en/home/index.html). In addition, the PRO Facebook page (www.facebook.com/grs.publicrecordsoffice) will also share selected holdings and interesting stories featured in the exhibition.The PRO will be organising roving exhibitions to take this thematic exhibition to various districts of Hong Kong at a later date. Details will be announced later on the GRS website (www.grs.gov.hk) and the PRO Facebook page. For enquiries, please contact the PRO at 2195 7700 or email to [email protected]。

Creating Your Own Career Path Many people wish to have a healthy body, and a balanced diet is a crucial part of it. Each individual’s health condition is different. What is the best dietary plan for you? A dietitian should have an answer! Dietitians would tailor-make dietary plans based on individual health conditions and dietary habits. They will also help clients understand the nutritional value of different food, so as to enable them to sustain their healthy dietary habits in the long run. Dietitians indeed provide nutrition and dietetic services in various sectors. Some dietitians specialise in providing clinical services to patients with chronic diseases, such as formulating a “3 Low, 1 High” dietary plan for diabetic patients, so that the intake of carbohydrates at each meal could be quantified. This would help stabilise patients’ blood glucose level, thus managing their medical conditions more effectively. In conjunction with doctor’s medical treatment, dietitians always play an important role to further improve patients’ health conditions through daily nutrition plans. Apart from dietitians, many organisations nowadays create assistant job positions related to nutrition and diet, such as nutrition therapist assistants. They usually help measure clients’ heights and weights; provide assistance to dietitians in designing meal plans and introduce these plans to the clients based on their healthy goals, including weight loss, fat loss or muscle strengthening, etc. Hence, nutrition therapist assistants also need to acquire basic knowledge in nutrition, such as how to calculate calories and how to ensure food safety.   Career Path Planning - Dietitian and Nutrition Consultant Assistants If you are interested in healthy dietary habits and enjoy interacting with others, you may consider turning your personal interest into a career by becoming a dietitian or nutrition therapist assistant! To become a dietitian, you need to obtain a relevant bachelor’s degree first. Since Hong Kong has no statutory registration system for dietitians, you may first need to study a registered dietitian courses in local or overseas institutions. After completing clinical practicum and passing the professional examination, you will be registered as a foreign registered dietitian. You might wish to become an accredited dietitian in Hong Kong by applying to the Hong Kong Academy of Accredited Dietitians, an accredited healthcare professional body under the Department of Health's Accredited Registers Scheme for Healthcare Professions. For nutrition therapist assistant, the required academic qualification is relatively lower than dietitian given its assistant role.  However, nutrition therapist assistants also need to receive specialised training and there are many certificate courses available in the market offering the required knowledge and skills. In-service nutrition therapist assistants may also further their studies to pave the way to become dietitians one day! If you are interested in pursuing careers in food-and-nutrition-related fields, do check out the following course information to know more!    Courses from Talent.gov.hk related to Nutrition Course Provider Course Learning Mode QF Level Employees Retraining Board Foundation Certificate in Chinese Dietetic Concepts (Part-time) Part-time QF Level 1 The University of Hong Kong Foundation Certificate in Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Supplements Part-time QF Level 2 The University of Hong Kong Foundation Certificate in Nutrition (Weight Management) Part-time QF Level 2 Employees Retraining Board Foundation Certificate in Nutrition Knowledge I (Understanding Nutrition) (Part-time) Part-time QF Level 2 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Li Ka Shing School of   Professional and Continuing Education Certificate in Capacity Building Mileage Programme – Healthy Diet I Part-time QF Level 2 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Li Ka Shing School of   Professional and Continuing Education Certificate in Capacity Building Mileage Programme – Healthy Diet II Part-time QF Level 2 The University of Hong Kong Certificate in Western and Chinese Nutritional Food Therapy Part-time QF Level 3 The Chinese University of Hong Kong Certificate Programme in Chinese Medicine: Nutrition Part-time QF Level 3 The University of Hong Kong Certificate for Module (Gut Health and Nutrition) Part-time QF Level 3 Llegend International Training Institute Certificate in Practical Knowledge of Nutrition in Daily Life Part-time QF Level 3 The University of Hong Kong Advanced Certificate in Nutrition Part-time QF Level 4 The University of Hong Kong Higher Diploma in Nutrition and Food Management Full-time QF Level 4 The University of Hong Kong Advanced Diploma in Practical Chinese Medicine (Chinese Medicine Nutritional Studies) Part-time QF Level 4 The University of Hong Kong Advanced Certificate in Quality Control and Food Safety Management Part-time QF Level 4 Vocational Training Council Higher Diploma in Fitness and Exercise Nutrition Full-time QF Level 4 Hong Kong Baptist University Associate of Science (Nutrition and Food Management) Full-time QF Level 4 The University of Hong Kong Higher Diploma in Food Health and Business Management Full-time QF Level 4 The University of Hong Kong Advanced Certificate in Food Health and Business Management Full-time QF Level 4 The University of Hong Kong Advanced Certificate in Clinical Nutrition and Health Promotion Part-time QF Level 5 The University of Hong Kong Advanced Certificate in Child and Adolescent Nutrition Part-time QF Level 5 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Food Safety and Technology Full-time QF Level 5 The Chinese University of Hong Kong Bachelor of Science Programme in Food and Nutritional Sciences Full-time QF Level 5 University of Northumbria at Newcastle BSc (Hons) Food Science and Nutrition Full-time/Part-time QF Level 5 Vocational Training Council Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Food Science and Safety Full-time QF Level 5 The University of Hong Kong Advanced Certificate in Sport and Exercise Nutrition Part-time QF Level 5 The University of Hong Kong Postgraduate Certificate in Community Nutrition Part-time QF Level 6 Graduate School, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Master of Philosophy in Food and Nutritional Sciences Full-time/Part-time QF Level 6 The University of Hong Kong Master of Science (Food Safety and Toxicology) Full-time/Part-time QF Level 6 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Master of Science in Global Food Safety Management and Risk Analysis Full-time/Part-time QF Level 6 The University of Hong Kong Master of Science (Food Industry: Management and Marketing) Full-time QF Level 6 Graduate School, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Master of Science in Nutrition, Food Science and Technology Full-time/Part-time QF Level 6 City University of Hong Kong Master of Science in Health Sciences and Management Full-time/Part-time QF Level 6 The University of Hong Kong Certificate for Module (Nutrition and Dietary Management of Diabetes) Part-time QF Level 6 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Master of Professional Management in Food and Beverage Business (in Chinese) Full-time/Part-time QF Level 6 Graduate School, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Doctor of Philosophy in Food and Nutritional Sciences Full-time/Part-time QF Level 7 *Source: Talent.gov.hk   Other Useful Links Related career information on Talents.gov.hk Related career information on the Life Planning Information website of the Education Bureau Related course information on the Diploma of Applied Education website of the Education Bureau (Chinese only) Search for more related programmes in the Qualifications Register  

The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) launches the "Love ITㆍUpgrading Scheme" with over 50 innovation and technology-related training courses spanning across domains of "New Digital Skills" and "Technology Applications in Industries", with a view to encouraging lifelong learning of new digital skills among the public and supporting the digital transformation of industries. 

What is Corporate Sustainability? In recent years, both small-and-medium-sized enterprises and large companies must have mentioned ESG. What exactly is ESG? Why is it so popular across different industries and sectors? ESG is a non-financial indicator of corporate operations, which assesses a company's overall performance in terms of environmental protection (E, Environment), social responsibility (S, Social) and corporate governance (G, Governance). Each ESG area might involve multiple aspects. For example, under social responsibility, a company should not only consider its external relations with the community, but also taking employees’ rights, as well as health and safety into their business considerations. In addition to companies’ internal assessment, ESG can also serve as a tool to evaluate business partners, including analysis of their potential growth and any long-term business opportunities arising from the collaboration. Nowadays, financial statements are no longer the only key to assess a company. It is also necessary to understand the company's ESG performance. If you are a corporate representative, it is even more important for you to perform well in various ESG aspects, otherwise you might miss out important business partnership! For those of you who are ready to join the job market, having an early understanding of ESG concepts might help you better understand the business directions and latest development of the organisations which you are going to apply for, so as to increase your competiveness in job interviews and possibly in your future career too!   ESG Talent Given the world's growing concern and rising demand on ESG, companies around the world are urging for ESG talents, with ESG consultant becoming one of the key experts in promoting corporate sustainability. Being an ESG consultant is not just about collecting ESG data and writing reports but also requires a good understanding of the business nature and unique culture of the company.  The consultant might also need to analyse the company from a macro perspective, formulate a long-term ESG strategy plan, and at the same time raise the company's ESG rating as much as possible in order to ensure the sustainable development of the company. On the other hand, ESG consultants need to pay attention to the world’s fast-changing trends while deriving business plans which could also be beneficial to the world, with a view to leading the company to step forward and achieve new milestones. These are the important values that ESG consultants could bring to the companies.   Career Path Planning - ESG Consultant If you want to become an ESG consultant or pursuing a career related to sustainable development, apart from environmental protection-related qualifications, having a background in arts, science or business could also be beneficial to your career in some sense.  Most importantly, you need to be willing to learn new things across various disciplines! As a newbie in the job market, if you are interested in ESG-related positions, you may wish to enroll in some relevant training courses to learn more about the related knowledge and give yourself another career option!   Courses from Talent.gov.hk related to Sustainable Development Course Provider Course Learning Mode QF Level The University of Hong Kong Certificate in Sustainable Communities Part-time QF Level 3 Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development Certificate in Sustainable Development Planning (Elementary) Part-time QF Level 3 The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Bachelor of Science in Sustainable and Green Finance Full-time QF Level 5 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Development Full-time QF Level 5 Lingnan University Bachelor of Liberal Arts (Honours) in Global Development and Sustainability Full-time QF Level 5 Vocational Training Council Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Green Engineering and Sustainability Full-timePart-time QF Level 5 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Building Services Engineering and Sustainable Development Full-time QF Level 5 The University of Hong Kong Certificate for Module (Sustainability Professionals) Part-time QF Level 6 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Master of Science in Global Environmental Management for Sustainable Development Full-timePart-time QF Level 6 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Master of Science in Energy and Environmental Sustainability Full-timePart-time QF Level 6 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Postgraduate Certificate in Energy and Environmental Sustainability (Energy Management and Audits) Part-time QF Level 6 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Postgraduate Certificate in Energy and Environmental Sustainability (Cleaner Production and Green Technology) Part-time QF Level 6 The Education University of Hong Kong Master of Arts in Education for Sustainability Programme Full-timePart-time QF Level 6 The Education University of Hong Kong Certificate in Professional Development Programme for Teachers of Liberal Studies and Science on Environmental Sustainable Development Part-time QF Level 6 Lingnan University Master of Cities and Governance (Environment and Sustainability) Full-timePart-time QF Level 6 *Source: Talent.gov.hk   Other Useful Links Talents.gov.hk Magazine: The Rise of ESG Related career information on Talents.gov.hk Related career information on the Life Planning Information website of the Education Bureau Sustainable Finance Internship Platform Pilot Green and Sustainable Finance Capacity Building Support Scheme ESG and Green Finance on Carbon Neutral @HK webpage of the Environment and Ecology Bureau  

Starting from March and April every year, we finally “resurrect” from the cold winter! Have you ever started planning your activities during Easter holidays? How about taking advantage of the Easter holidays to travel to the Mainland and have a unique vacation with the local young people? The Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland under the Youth Development Commission has been providing funding to various non-governmental organisations to organise exchange tours to the Mainland for Hong Kong young people. The objective is to enhance their awareness and understanding of their home country while fostering exchange with Mainland youth, thereby strengthening their sense of national identity.  Just a reminder, the exchange tours to the Mainland during Easter are now open for application. All you young fellows can check out the exchange programmes provided in the Chinese version and create an unforgettable and special Easter holiday for yourselves!

Starting from March and April every year, we finally “resurrect” from the cold winter! Have you ever started planning your activities during Easter holidays? How about taking advantage of the Easter holidays to travel abroad, experiencing various cultures and having a unique getaway with young people from different parts of the world? The Funding Scheme for International Youth Exchange under the Youth Development Commission has been providing funding to various non-governmental organisations to organise international exchange programmes for Hong Kong young people. The objective is to offer them more comprehensive international exchange opportunities, expand their global exposure, and broaden their international horizons. Just a reminder, the international exchange programmes during Easter are now open for application. All you young fellows can check out the exchange programmes provided in the Chinese version and create an unforgettable and special Easter holiday for yourselves!

Gaming and E-sports Rapid tapping on keyboards is one of the signature characteristics of gaming. Many people still consider that playing video games as simply a form of entertainment, and some even believe that excessive gaming can drain one's willpower. Today, gaming has however evolved into one of the new-age competitive sports! E-sports, or electronic sports, is a kind of sports that involves video games. The most well-known e-sports competitions revolve around online multiplayer games, such as shooting, fighting, car racing and strategy games. In these competitions, two or more teams will compete against each other in the game. Typically, professional e-sports players are not just ordinary players, but highly skilled individuals with exceptional mental fortitude, high levels of intelligence, advanced gaming abilities, and strong teamwork skills. Nowadays, e-sports has become a pop culture. Ranging from small-scale contest to professional league tournaments, all of which have successfully attracted respective audience. Many investors also recognise the business potential in e-sports, and sponsors actively support these events to increase their brand awareness. What was once seen as a pastime, has now gone beyond the boundaries, and grown into a new sports industry with a combination of gaming, competition and lifestyle!   E-sports Commentator, the Vibe Maker Besides professional e-sports players, the e-sports industry has given rise to various other job positions. Among them, e-sports commentators play a vital role in e-sport events, with their importance being just slightly below that of professional e-sports players! Through humorous and passionate commentary, e-sports commentators analyse game tactics, describe players' actions, and hence show the live situation to the audience beyond the distance. These commentators not only need to be eloquent but also require a deep understanding of the game at a professional-player level in order to keep up with the pace of the competition. Therefore, aspiring e-sports commentators often need to have a certain ranking as professional players or be retired professional players themselves.     Career Path Planning – Professional e-sports players/ E-sports commentator If you aspire to pursue a career in the e-sports arena as a professional player or commentator, there are numerous e-sports related training programmes available in the market that can help you lay a good foundation for your e-sport career development. Undoubtedly, you still need to make the greatest effort to gear up yourselves, in order to secure a place in the world of e-sports one day!   E-sports related Courses from Talent.gov.hk Course Provider Course Learning Mode QF Level The University of Hong Kong Foundation Certificate in eSports Science Part-time QF Level 2 The University of Hong Kong Certificate in eSports Technology (Senior Secondary Applied Learning) Full-time QF Level 3 The University of Hong Kong Diploma in eSports Science Part-time QF Level 3 School of Professional and Continuing Education, HKU Diploma in eSports Science Part-time QF Level 3 The University of Hong Kong Higher Diploma in eSports Full-time QF Level 4 The University of Hong Kong Advanced Certificate in eSports Full-time QF Level 4 Hong Kong Metropolitan University Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours in Sports and eSports Management Full-time QF Level 5 *Source: Talent.gov.hk   Other Useful Links Talents.gov.hk Magazine: e-Sports≠Gaming Sharing of ESAHK Founding Chairman on the Life Planning Information website of the Education Bureau  

Dancing from the Street to the World Stage Street Dance, originated in the 70's and 80's, is a combination of sports and street performances. By following the flow of music with unique body movements, a great variety of dancing steps is created. Beginners can also express themselves through unrestrained and free-style movements! The most common styles of street dance include “Breaking”,“Popping”and“Hip-hop” among others. Among them, the most popular one is “Breaking”! This dancing style is easy to recognise due to a series of signature moves, including headspins and rolling on the ground with one hand as a supporting point. Nowadays, street dance culture has spread all over the world. Street dancers can be found in all 18 districts of Hong Kong. Dancers would compete at any time and wherever there is a space, leading to a common phenomenon: "where there are streets, there is street dance." Many young people around the world regard street dance as their dream and are eager to go professional with their supreme dancing skills! The 2024 Paris Olympics will include one of the street dancing styles, “Breaking”, as a new sports item. Young people who are passionate about “Breaking” will then have the opportunity to battle with dancers from other countries and regions on the Olympic stage!     Dancing from Stage to the Workplace If you love street dance, have you ever thought about becoming a professional dancer? After gaining ample performance experience, have you considered transitioning to a role behind the scenes, supporting other performers as a dance instructor or choreographer? Although these positions differ from traditional dancers, professional street dancers still require extensive training and long-term practice to be fully prepared to shine on stage. Becoming a street dance instructor or choreographer can be seen as a "promotion opportunity" for dancers. If you are a former street dancer, you may have the chance to become a choreographer by accumulating enough performance experience. With a solid foundation, choreographers can create dance performances and oversee the dancers’ execution. They also need execellent communication skills to collaborate with various stakeholders, ensuring an unforgettable visual feast for the audience! As the mastermind behind the scenes, a choreographer's dancing skills must reach a professional level, preferably in two or more dancing styles. They should be able to view a performance from a macro perspective and assign dancers to perform their roles well at different shows, providing memorable moments for each scene.   Career Path Planning - Professional Dancer/ Dance Instructor/ Choreographer Even if you are still new to the workplace, there is no need to worry! If you are interested in pursuing a career in the dancing industry, you can refer to the following course information to plan ahead for your upcoming training and future career!   Dance related Courses from Talent.gov.hk Course Provider Course Learning Mode QF Level The University of Hong Kong Foundation Certificate in Dance Part-time QF Level 2 The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Certificate in Taking a Chance on Dance (Senior Secondary Applied Learning) Full-time QF Level 3 The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Diploma in Dance Foundations Full-time QF Level 4 The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Professional Diploma in Dance Full-time QF Level 4 The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Dance Full-time QF Level 5 The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Master of Fine Arts in Dance Full-time / Part-time QF Level 6 *Source: Talent.gov.hk   Other Useful Links Dance-related careers information on the Life Planning Information website of the Education Bureau Search for Vacancies for Dancer / Dance Instructor / Choreographer on Talent.gov.hk Break dance events / courses provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department "Move Beyond" - Online programme of the Cultural Presentations Section of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department  

The Trainee Programme under the Urban Forestry Support Fund encourages employers to engage and train arboriculture and tree management graduates to become quality arborists and tree climbers to support tree management and maintenance work in Hong Kong.The “Urban Forestry Support Fund - Trainee Programme” follows the “first-hire-then-train” principle, and will provide a training allowance of about 30 per cent of agreed monthly remuneration levels to the trainees through their employers, as well as a bonus of $30,000 and $20,000 upon their acquisition of recognised arborist or tree climber professional qualifications respectively. The training periods for arborist and tree climber trainees are three years and 18 months respectively.Eligible employers are invited to participate in the Trainee Programme to take in arborist and tree climber trainees at agreed or higher remuneration levels (including the training allowances provided under the programme).  They are also required to provide structured training that meets stipulated requirements. About the Programme Monthly training allowanceArborist Trainees $4,500*    Tree Climber Trainees $5,000*Starting monthly pay point (including monthly training allowance)    Arborist Trainees $14,500*    Tree Climber Trainees $15,000*Bonus (upon completion of training and acquisition of recognised professional qualification)            Arborist Trainees $30,000    Tree Climber Trainees $20,000Training periodArborist Trainees 3 yearsTree Climber Trainees 18 months*The amounts are subject to adjustment by the Construction Industry Council upon completion of each year of training with consideration of factors including inflation.Eligibility (Employers - Applicants)- Arboriculture, tree management and landscape companies with active tree inspection and/or tree work related contract(s) for the Government or the private sector of duration not less than one year or organisations managing a substantial amount of tree assset; and- Have the following employees in the company:     (For engaging Arborist Trainees) At least 1 arborist who meets the requirement for the training tutor of Arborist Trainee    (For engaging Tree Climber Trainees) At least 1 tree climber who meets the requirement for the training tutor of Tree Climber Trainee Eligibility (Trainees - Employees)- Hong Kong residents- Graduates of local arboriculture, tree management and tree work programmes at:    (For engaging Arborist Trainees) Level 3 to Level 5 of the Qualifications Framework    (For engaging Tree Climber Trainees) Level 3 to Level 4 of the Qualifications Framework- Have not possessed any recognised professional qualifications Eligibility (Training Tutors - to be provided by employers)Training Tutors of Arborist Trainees- HKQF Level 4 or above in arboriculture related academic qualification; and- Professional qualification in arboriculture; and- Completed and passed tree risk assessment and management training course organised or recognised by the Tree Management Office; and - Received relevant occupational safey and health training relating to tree work operation; and - At least 7 years of work experience in tree care and familiar with tree risk assessment and managementTraining Tutors of Tree Climber Trainees- Received relevant occupational safey and health training relating to tree work operation; and- Completed training in tree work operations (including tree climbing (rope access), use of chainsaw and aerial rescue); and- At least 3 years of work experience in tree care and tree climbingThe programme accepts applications throughout the year. The relevant application form and training framework document can be downloaded from the website of the Construction Industry Council. Here below is the sharing of students, employers and training tutors from the Urban Forestry Support Fund - Trainee Programme. (The video is broadcasted in Cantonese)

MIT Entrepreneurship and FinTech Integrator (MEFTI) is a FinTech venture-building boot camp for MIT and Hong Kong students who are ready to make industry impact. Students from MIT and universities in Hong Kong will form teams, tackle real-world industry challenges, and build a FinTech venture pitch with a viable business model. In this intensive experience, participants will  - Learn about emerging trends across different FinTech sectors- Gain insights into how the financial services industry has been transformed- Understand how frontier technologies, including distributed ledger technology and artificial intelligence, are redefining business processes and changing the future of industries- Understand the jurisdictional advantages of Hong Kong as a leading FinTech hub from regulatory, technology and domain perspectives- Visit emerging startups and companies and interact with seasoned industry executives from the Greater Bay Area (China)- Immerse in a comprehensive entrepreneurship program and build a viable business plan and prototype to present the FinTech idea to a panel of judges and the audience Application by Hong Kong Students Application deadline: April 7, 2023 Please refer to the website of MEFTI for more details.

Cyberport Academy is commissioned by Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and is delighted to introduce the “FinTech Self-paced Learning Webinars” programme to the public covering Blockchain, RegTech, Cybersecurity, Data economy, ESG and MORE. The programme is available for FREE and contains the Webinar series of the “Financial Practitioners FinTech Training Programme” to raise public awareness of Fintech along with the latest development and enrich the FinTech talent pool in Hong Kong.For the Programme details, please click here to visit the website of Cyberport Academy.

As the new semester begins, university students are presented with attractive credit card promotions and offers by banks which set up promotion booths on campus. Typical offers include welcome gifts, rebates and annual fee waivers, enticing freshmen to apply for their first credit card.If you make good use of your credit card wisely and pay your bills on time, it can help you to save money, earn bonus points for gift redemption, and minimise physical contact during the pandemic. However, there are also some pitfalls that you should look out for.Trap 1: Should I make minimum payment?It may seem easy to make just the monthly minimum payment on your credit card, but your debt can quickly snowball too. For example, with an outstanding balance of $20,000 and an interest rate of 35% p.a., it will take 26 years to pay off the debt if you only make a minimum payment every month, provided that there are no more transactions during the period. What’s more, interest will be charged immediately for all new transactions, existing interest-free instalments and autopay arrangements through your credit card (such as monthly insurance premiums).Trap 2: Is it easy to get a cash advance on your credit card?Many credit cards offer the option of a cash instalment plan, allowing you to convert available credit limit into cash. However, this seemingly handy service with no application and approval required generally comes with higher interest rates exceeding 30% p.a. Unlike general transactions with an interest-free payment period, cash advances will accrue interest immediately, and incur administrative fees.Trap 3: Is it easy to extend the repayment period?It is important to repay the monthly balance on time – the longer the repayment period, the more interest it will incur. This snowballing effect will not only create financial stress, but also have an impact on your credit record. A low credit score may prompt banks and financial institutions to charge a higher interest rate, or even deny your future loan applications. Besides, some companies and employers may review your credit report and score during the recruitment process. How much should I repay each month to clear credit card debt?If you have any unsettled credit card bills, you should set a clear goal and make repayment as soon as possible to save on interest. You can use the calculator on the Investor and Financial Education Council website to work out the required monthly repayment amount. Information source:

When planning for further study or career, young people may have some popular industries in mind and look for related courses, for example, finance; real estate and construction services industry; hotel and catering; information and communication technology; retail; recreation, sports, cultural and creative industries, etc. Want to know what courses or training programmes are available for a particular industry? Below are some websites that may help.. Industries and Jobs - Education Bureau'sLife Planning Information Website Careers Exploration - Talent.gov.hk   More details about the programmes are available from respective institutions. For a comprehensive list of institutions / organisations providing local post-secondary education and other education programmes, please refer to the website of the Education Bureau (EDB). For other related training and courses, please refer to the EDB's Life Planning Information Website.     Still not sure about your career path? Browse the websites listed below to find out more about different jobs and careers and to know more about yourself! VTC Occupation Dictionary JOB & VASK of CLAP@JC Discover@Jobtionaryof Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups I am… Youth Portalof St. James' Settlement  

Starting your first job is exciting, especially when you get your first month's pay. It brings financial freedom and puts you in charge of your own money. It also gives you the chance to set financial goals and come up with a plan to achieve them.After starting your first job, it's natural to have an idea of how you want to be in five or 10 years. This could mean further studies, buying a property, getting married, or even starting your own business. No matter what the goal is, you will need money to realise it.Be realistic when setting goals. While short-term goals are often easy to reach, longer-term aims like getting married or buying a property can take years or even decades. The sooner you come up with a plan, the more time you have to save money to reach your goal.Your first short-term goal should be to save for an emergency cash fund. It should be enough to cover your expenses for six months. The Savings Goal Calculator on Investor and Financial Education Council website can help you estimate how much to save and for how long, in order to reach your goals. Make a monthly budgetAfter setting goals, it's time to manage your income and spending. Your first job probably won't be very well paid, but it's tempting to spend. Even so, it's much better to be careful and avoid living from paycheck to paycheck.Use the Money Tracker mobile app to set a monthly budget, record income and track expenses. It can also compare the budget you set with actual spending. This allows you to manage your money all the time, anywhere.Save before spendingIt's important to learn good saving habits while you are still young. The key is to always save before you spend. So, after getting your wage, put aside 10 to 20% as savings straight away. The rest can be spent as you wish. The sooner you start saving, the more money you will have due to the compound effect. This will boost your financial freedom.Most people have lots of things they want to buy but don't have enough money. Simply put: if you buy this, you can't buy that. It's important to know the difference between what you need and what you want. Think about what you will do with what you buy. Ask yourself: "Would it cause me any problem in the coming months if I don't buy it?" If the answer is no, it means you don’t really need it. More financial issues to think about 1. MPF managementThe Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) is a long-term saving and investment scheme for retirement, which both you and your employer put money into. When you start work, your employer has to enrol you for the MPF scheme within 60 days. The contribution is 5% of your income for both you and your employer. Good MPF management is important, as it will affect how much money you have when you retire.2. Repay student loansIf you have a student loan, put aside part of your salary to repay it. You can set up autopay so you pay on time. Student loans are from public money. Paying on time is your obligation and a social responsibility. Also, late payments will mean surcharges and interest. This could affect your credit history. You can use "SFO E-Link" to check your repayment schedule and history.3. Smart use of credit cardsWhen you first get a credit card it's tempting to spend money you haven't earned yet or buy things you can't afford. Apart from spending on necessities like meals and transport, young people also like to buy trendy clothes and gadgets. But it's best to buy what you need rather than spend too much. Do not fall into the "enjoy now, pay later" trap. Repay the full amount before it's due, as interest on a credit card can be more than 30%.4. Prepare to pay taxesHong Kong has a provisional tax system. When you receive a tax return you must report your income, deductions and claim allowances. For example, you can claim tax deductions on MPF contributions. The Inland Revenue will assess your tax for this year and the next, based on what you report. Therefore, tax is for the current year, while provisional tax is for the next year. As a result, the total amount for a tax bill could be very high. You should prepare by using the Salary Tax Calculator to work out the tax due on your wage, then save based on how much you need. (Information source: Investor and Financial Education Council)

The Government strives to nurture youths and support them in fully realising their potential. Youth uniformed groups offer important platforms for promoting youth development. To this end, most of the disciplined and auxiliary services departments have set up their own youth uniformed groups to nurture young people’s sense of social responsibility, enhance their law-abiding awareness and help them develop leadership skills through a series of classroom and physical training. Information about the youth uniformed groups under the disciplined and auxiliary services departments is listed below for easy reference. Junior Police Call The Hong Kong Police Force has all along been actively promoting youth development. With the mission of nurturing fight crime partners and future leaders, it founded its flagship youth organisation, the Junior Police Call (JPC), in 1974. Currently, Advanced Leaders and members of JPC Leader Corps who join foot drill training are uniformed to reinforce the sense of belonging. On top of organising regular leadership camps to build up young people’s resilience, team spirit and leadership skills, JPC has also launched new programmes, e.g. innovation and technology competitions, in recent years to enhance its appeal to young people. In April 2021, JPC introduced the Junior Police Call Mobile Application (JPC App) to facilitate the recruitment of new members and the participation of existing members. In addition, JPC implemented a new youth engagement strategy under the acronym “IDEAS” this year to highlight the elements of JPC’s activities, namely “Innovation”, “Discipline”, “Exposure”, “Adventure” and “Synergy”. With this new strategy, JPC has also launched a new awards scheme, with a view to enriching members’ learning experience systematically. Looking ahead, JPC will also offer youth exchange opportunities in the Greater Bay Area to let participants gain first-hand experience of the opportunities in the Greater Bay Area. >> Website of Junior Police Call (The video is in Chinese)   Fire and Ambulance Services Teen Connect The Fire Services Department (FSD) established its youth uniformed group, called the Fire and Ambulance Services Teen Connect (FAST Connect), in 2021.  FAST Connect aims to provide a learning platform for its members, arranging regular training and activities to equip them with a rich learning experience.  Apart from providing practical training on basic fire-fighting and rescue techniques, basic first-aid skills and fire safety knowledge, FAST Connect also covers national education (e.g. the Chinese-style foot drill) to enhance the sense of belonging to the country among youth.  Exchange sessions with community leaders and Hong Kong elite athletes are also arranged for members.  Through participating in the various training and activities arranged by FSD, young people can acquire new knowledge outside the classroom, learn more about the country’s development and build a good character, with a view to building a solid foundation for academic and career success in the future. >> Website of the Fire and Ambulance Services Teen Connect (The video is in Chinese) Immigration Department Youth Leaders Corps The Immigration Department (ImmD) established its uniformed group, the Immigration Department Youth Leaders Corps, in 2013. Presently, the uniformed group provides disciplinary and leadership training to local students from Secondary 1 to Secondary 6 in Hong Kong. The training programme covers knowledge about immigration matters, national education, foot drill, physical fitness, community services and outdoor training. It aims at developing members’ sense of discipline and team spirit, enhancing their sense of national identity, and instilling positive thinking and values through group activities. Members will receive training in the Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development and visit immigration facilities so as to deepen their understanding of ImmD’ s work. This will help those who are interested in joining the Department in future get prepared. Since September this year, dedicated instructors also host school-based meetings with a view to building closer rapport with members. (The video is in Chinese)   Customs Youth Leader Corps The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) introduced the education-oriented programme, Customs YES, in 2021 for young people aged between 12 and 24. Groups, schools and non-governmental organisations interested in supporting and promoting youth development can also join as organisation members. The Customs YES programme aims at enhancing young people’s appreciation of C&ED’s work and fostering their positive values and sense of belonging to society. Its activities include Customs job orientation experience, summer internship programmes, adventure and leadership training and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area exchange programmes. Customs YES also regularly holds theme-based (e.g. legal profession, innovation & technology, and logistics) career development workshops aim to help members understand the situation and development of various sectors through interactive activities such as site visits and sharing by sector specialists. Under the framework of diversified activities of Customs YES, C&ED has formed a new youth uniformed group called Customs Youth Leader Corps, which aims at nurturing members to be distinguished youth leaders. Apart from participating in Customs YES activities, members are required to attend regular assemblies and disciplinary training to acquire various skills and learn about C&ED’s work. >> Website of Customs Youth Leader Corps (The video is in Chinese) Rehabilitation Pioneer Leaders The Correctional Services Department (CSD) has been implementing the Rehabilitation Pioneer Project since 2008 to disseminate the message of “leading a law-abiding and drug-free life as well as supporting offender rehabilitation” to secondary school students and young people. Project activities include education talks in schools and organisations; visits to correctional institutions and experience sharing by persons in custody to enable participants to understand the consequences of committing crimes; and summer tours to large-scale infrastructure as well as rural schools and families in the Mainland in order to deepen participants’ understanding of national affairs. In 2018, CSD established its uniformed group, Rehabilitation Pioneer Leaders, targeting secondary school students. Participants attend regular meetings twice a month at venues such as the Staff Training Institute for foot drill, take part in teamwork and physical training, as well as join a wide range of activities such as life planning interviews and Training on the Operation of Online Channel. The aim is to broaden their horizons, foster discipline and promote law-abiding and inclusive values. >> Website of Rehabilitation Pioneer Leaders   Civil Aid Service Cadet Corps Founded in 1968, the Civil Aid Service (CAS) Cadet Corps has an establishment of more than 4 000 cadets. Committed to promoting youth work, CAS encourages young people to learn practical skills and develop leadership abilities and through which to build up self-confidence, sense of responsibility, self-discipline and the spirit to serve others. Cadets also take part in community service such as countryside conservation work, tree planting and visits to the elderly to prepare themselves for becoming responsible citizens. CAS provides a diversified array of training and activities for its cadets including life-saving, first-aid, foot drill, hiking, boating, sailing, outdoor programmes and national education courses, etc, and is planning to develop activities and training on virtual reality and unmanned aircraft to encourage cadets to explore in various dimensions. Exchange programmes for cadets to meet with young people in the Greater Bay Area have been organised in order to deepen their understanding of the development of the Greater Bay Area. >>Website of Civil Aid Service Cadet Corps (The video is in Chinese) >> Website of Civil Aid Service Cadet Corps Auxiliary Medical Service Cadet Corps The Auxiliary Medical Service (“AMS”) established its Cadet Corps in 2011 to encourage young people to acquire practical skills and develop their leadership abilities by taking part in healthcare training and activities. Apart from receiving healthcare training, cadets also take part in a wide range of events, such as first aid competitions, foot drill training, community service and national education exchange tours, etc. >> Website of Auxiliary Medical Service Cadet Corps Auxiliary Medical Service Cadet Corps The Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) established its Cadet Corps in 2011 to encourage young people to, by taking part in healthcare training and activities, acquire practical skills and develop their leadership abilities. Major areas of the training include knowledge, prevention and handling of communicable and chronic diseases; conventional first aid and health-check training; and prevailing public hygiene and health issues (e.g. emotional / mental health and drug abuse). Apart from receiving healthcare training, cadets also take part in a wide range of events, such as first aid competitions, foot drill training, community service and national education exchange tours, etc. >> Website of Auxiliary Medical Service Cadet Corps Government Flying Service's Collaboration with Youth Uniformed Groups Although the Government Flying Service (GFS) does not have its own youth uniformed group, it has established various activity arrangements with different youth uniformed groups (such as the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps (HKACC), the Scout Association and the Girl Guides Association).  Its collaboration with HKACC is particularly close.  Besides continuing to provide HKACC with the relevant programmes and activities, GFS will arrange officers to take part in HKACC’s leader training programme and give professional coaching to HKACC members aged 16 or above, providing experiential activities to help them learn more about the different facets of GFS’s work (including the work of Pilots, Air Crewman Officers, Aircraft Engineers, Air Medical Officers and Air Medical Nursing Officers).  This can promote young people’s understanding of GFS and their interest in the aviation industry.