Hong Kong will launch a 30,000-place youth employment and internship programme in the first quarter of 2027. Before applications open, the government should decide what it is buying: a temporary increase in headcount or a durable increase in professional capability.
The distinction matters because the entry-level labour market is already changing. According to an annual survey by Baptist University, the starting-pay advantage of bachelor’s degree holders over sub-degree graduates narrowed by 17 per cent, from HK$3,000 last year to HK$2,500 this year (US$380 to US$320).
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s latest policy address offers a response on an appropriate scale: 30,000 places over two years, including 10,000 subsidised full-time entry-level jobs. The Financial Services Development Council (FSDC) will coordinate 1,000 internships in financial services. The programme could become workforce infrastructure for an AI-intensive economy, provided every person taking up a subsidised place passes an apprenticeship test.