SLW encourages young people to join Youth Employment and Training Programme

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, has encouraged young people to join the Youth Employment and Training Programme (YETP) of the Labour Department (LD) to seize every opportunity for self-enhancement and boost their competitiveness in employment.
      
     Officiating at the Award Ceremony of YETP Most Improved Trainees 2019 cum Concert co-organised by the LD and Radio 2 of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) tonight (August 30), Dr Law said that over the years the LD has been providing one-stop pre-employment and on-the-job training through the YETP for young people with a view to helping them unleash their full potential in employment. To cater for the needs of the labour market and the young people, new pre-employment training courses will be rolled out under the YETP in the coming Programme Year 2019/20 to equip young people with new job-specific skills and improve their chances of joining the industries they wish to be part of.
 
     "Among the awardees this year are a secondary school graduate who has entered the banking industry through a large-scale recruitment day under the YETP, a youth who joined a green business start-up for a taste of entrepreneurship, and a trainee who has made full use of his knowledge in mechanics to set foot in the railway industry through the YETP. There are also trainees who have transformed their passions in music, aircraft and model cars into competitive edges and built up their career paths in the music, aircraft maintenance and automobile repair industries," Dr Law said.  
      
     Dr Law pointed out that apart from the trainees' own hard work, the concerted efforts of employers and training bodies supportive of the programme are indispensable in helping trainees apply their own interests and skills in career development. He expressed the hope that every sector of the community would continue to work together to create an environment with different opportunities for young people so that they can envision a brighter future.
 
     The award ceremony and concert co-organised by the LD and RTHK was themed "Dream Journey with YETP". The awards were presented to 10 outstanding trainees who achieved significant improvements in personal development, leadership or work performance during the training period. Moreover, 12 other trainees have been selected for the Merit Awards so as to encourage more young people to work hard in realising their career goals and dreams.
 
     The YETP is open to young school leavers aged 15 to 24 with educational attainment at sub-degree level or below. Trainees who are undergoing pre-employment training or who have completed the workplace attachment training are eligible for a training allowance. Enrolment is free of charge on a year-round basis. For details, please visit the 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 register training vacancies provided by interested employers.