People of all ages seeking to take themselves up the career ladder streamed into the 29th Education & Careers Expo, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), a one-stop platform for graduating students and jobseekers looking to review a broad range of education opportunities and career options.
At the opening Margaret Fong, HKTDC Executive Director, said: “This year, we are delighted to welcome 880 exhibitors, including educational institutions, government departments, public organisations, professional associations and private enterprises from 22 countries and regions.”
The expo hosted an Education Zone and Careers Zone, with four new education-themed zones in 2019 to clearly define opportunities available in further studies and continuing education. The Creative and Educational Support Services zone featured iACL Pacific to introduce the learning environment of space school HASSE, space exploration projects and applications of artificial intelligence and virtual reality. The Tertiary Academy zone gathered universities and higher education institutions, including Hong Kong Shue Yan University, the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Medical Doorway, Raffles International College and more. The China Education Exchange (Hong Kong) Centre introduced the “Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions” at the zone. Tertiary institutions from Mainland China participating included Tsinghua University and Peking University. At the Continuing Education zone, Education in Ireland, EF Language, Wall Street English and the Japanese Language School Affiliated with Tokyo International University offered value-added programmes. The Vocational and Professional Education zone featured the Vocational Training Council (VTC), Hong Kong Institute of Construction and Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, introduced career-oriented diploma and bachelor programmes.
Theme Days
The expo offered theme days both for those seeking further education, and those wanting to enter the workforce. Education theme days highlighted studying in the United States and Europe. Representatives from EducationUSA and the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao were on hand to show prospective students how to apply and offer information on campus life. Visitors also found abundant information on studying and working abroad at the International Exchange Village, which presented Consulate General offices and officially recognised bodies from Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden and the US as well as Belt and Road countries such as Austria, the Czech Republic (where education courses on offer included English, which is widely used in the country) and Hungary.
For those ready to enter the world of work, understanding the nature and prospect of a job is essential for career planning. The expo featured four career theme days, highlighting employment trends and job opportunities in specific industries. Three of these days debuted in 2019.
The Culinary Arts Day, co-organised with the Chinese Culinary Institute and International Culinary Institute, offered four interactive workshops on sugar blossom making, plating demonstration, vinaigrette preparation and dumpling making, providing hands-on experience for visitors looking to work in the culinary industry.
On the Exploring Construction Day, co-organised with the Hong Kong Institute of Construction, industry experts interacted with visitors interested in the construction field. Other events include the “Modular Integrated Construction (MIC)” seminar as well as talks on future industry developments, training and job information.
The Tech & Creativity Day, co-organised with the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, included a seminar exploring how augmented reality can be applied to develop Hong Kong as a smart city, using Pokemon Go and Iron Man as examples.
The Civil & Public Services Day returned, bringing representatives from government departments and the disciplined services, such as the Hong Kong Police Force, the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, the Immigration Department, the Correctional Services Department and the Customs and Excise Department, along with public organisations including the Airport Authority Hong Kong and the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, which introduce various job openings, career paths, application procedures and interview tips.
On-the-spot Vacancies
The Youth zone returned with information on continuing education and career planning for young people. The Labour Department introduced various employment opportunities as well as the working-holiday programmes that allow young people to gain overseas experience.
The 2019 expo introduced Recruitment Square, which gathered private companies such as the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Sa Sa Cosmetic and Sportshouse to provide on-site job recruitment, with some offering on-the-spot interviews. Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts offered more than 100 vacancies for such positions as restaurant managers and shop supervisors. The Hong Kong Police Force, Hong Kong Fire Services Department, Immigration Department, Correctional Services Department, West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and Airport Authority Hong Kong also have on-site recruitment. Together, they offer more than 2,500 job opportunities during the expo.
Inspirational Events
The expo hosted nearly 90 on-site events including demonstrations by the Police Dog Unit, Correctional Services Dog Unit and Fire Investigation Dog Unit. Other seminars included education and industry talks, as well as working holidays – detailing job opportunities and application requirements in Austria, France, Germany, Japan, Korea and more.
Entertainment cultural brand Manner, which creates entertaining videos shared through social media, brought actors Hou Dee and Weng Chan to talk about their experience and the challenges of becoming Youtubers and key opinion leaders.
Sapeiar and BlueGodZi – novelists famous for their online works – shared how they drew inspiration from daily life at the “A Day in the Life of a Novelist” seminar. Separately, Jayden Lam, a renowned Chinese tutor, provided tips on taking the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examinations and show ways to use language skills to succeed in job interviews.
Lo Sing, Team Manager of the Emperor Esports Stars G-Rex PUBG team and e-sports commentator, shared his views on industry trends and advised on ways to develop a career in the industry.
Jeffrey Hui, Executive Director of Metro Education Plus, told participants how to develop the most effective resume, while workplace consultant Suen Lap-man examined social skills in the workplace.
Related links
HKTDC Education & Careers Expo
