The Labour Department (LD) will expand the scope of the Youth Employment and Training Programme (YETP) in September to cover part-time on-the-job training and raise the ceiling of the monthly on-the-job training allowance. The aim is to encourage employers to hire young people and provide them with quality on-the-job training with a view to promoting youth employment.
Under the enhanced programme, the scope of paid on-the-job training, which lasts for six to 12 months, will be expanded from full-time employment only (i.e. no less than 30 working hours per week) to cover part-time jobs as well (i.e. 18 to under 30 working hours per week), with effect from September 1, in order to meet the needs of some young people who are more interested in taking up part-time jobs.
In addition, to encourage employers to provide different kinds of on-the-job training positions to offer young job seekers more choices, the maximum monthly on-the-job training allowance payable to employers, who engage young people in paid full-time or part-time on-the-job training through YETP, will be increased from $3,000 to $4,000 per trainee employed. The revised on-the-job training allowance will be 50 per cent of the trainee's monthly salary, subject to a ceiling of $4,000 per month, payable for a period of six to 12 months.
The YETP provides a comprehensive job search platform with one-stop and diversified pre-employment and on-the-job training for young school leavers aged 15 to 24 with educational attainment at sub-degree level or below. The programme enables young people to better understand themselves and their work aptitudes while enriching their job skills and experience for better employability in future.
Enrolment in the YETP is free of charge and on a year-round basis, without any minimum academic qualification requirements. The services provided by the YETP include pre-employment training, one-month workplace attachment training, on-the-job salaried training for six to 12 months, off-the-job vocational training allowance, as well as 12-month case management services provided by registered social workers. Trainees will be provided with personalised career guidance, job search assistance and employment support. All eligible young people are welcome to apply.
To showcase the improvement of trainees after joining the YETP and commend training bodies and employers for their caring efforts, the LD will, in collaboration with Radio 2 of Radio Television Hong Kong, hold the Award Ceremony of YETP Most Improved Trainees cum Concert "Solar Project 2018 – Dream Journey with YETP" at Queen Elizabeth Stadium at 7.30 pm on August 23. Music bands and pop singers will perform in the show and deliver supportive messages to youth, and in particular give encouragement to secondary school leavers to overcome challenges in pursuit of their dreams.
Young people who would like to join the programme or obtain free tickets for the concert may visit YETP's website at www.yes.labour.gov.hk. The LD has also set up a Youth Employment Services hotline 2112 9932 to provide a one-stop enquiry service on the programme and receive training vacancies from interested employers.
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