Greener skills in Hong Kong

Dr Pavlova said that green skills are an under-researched area in Hong Kong.  Green skills, she explained, are used to “reduce environmental impact and support economic restructuring with the purpose of attaining a cleaner, more climate-resilient efficient economy that preserves environmental sustainability and provides decent work conditions.”

   

Those green skills in Hong Kong need to be spread throughout different industries, including the tourism and hospitality, she said, but there are skills gaps due to inadequate education, lack of training provision, and sometimes inability of employers to formulate what training is required. “The purpose of this project is to examine governments’ influences on new skills requirements, employers’ needs, and the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector’s responses, with the aim of supporting skills development towards greening economy in Hong Kong,” she said. 

 

Three-pronged approach

Dr Pavlova and her team will base their research on what is termed the Triple Helix thesis – so looking at the changing nature of the triadic relationship between industry, academe and government.  They will study current practices in Hong Kong across a variety of economic sectors, including environmental industries which are starting to emerge. She and her team will also explore how TVET institutions are handling their green skills education and training.  This will also be cross-compared with data from four Asian countries during the 30-month study.  The team will conduct a series of surveys and interviews with a pool of as many as 50 people from selected industry sectors and up to 20 TVET representatives, including high-ranking managers. 

 

Findings of the study will contribute to new frameworks to improve collaboration between government, industry and TVET towards greening skills. The study will lead to improved skills training in Hong Kong to adapt to changing economic needs and policy initiatives towards greening.  “The long term impact of this research is in supporting the greening of Hong Kong’s economy through green skills development,” Dr Pavlova said.

Community Business started the ENGAGE program in 2008 to address the issue of income inequality in Hong Kong. Youth from low-income or new migrant families can ill-afford extra educational services and extra-curricular activities. Therefore, Community Business continuously campaigns for community partners and business to act as mentors and provide these students with a sense of direction. Over the years, the programme has received highly positive feedback from mentees. Students have stated that through mentoring, skills training, and career exploration, the mentees strongly believed that this programme has improved their motivation, provided them with work experience, and improved their language and social skills. 

 

Dr. Margarita Pavlova, the Director of UNEVOC Centre (Hong Kong), introduced the Institute, the Faculty and the Centre in her welcoming speech. She underlined objectives for the UNEVOC Center and highlighted Youth and Skills as an important area of focus towards ensuring a sustainable future. She expressed her delight in supporting the ENGAGE programme - in line with the centre’s core values.

 

The 2015 cohort of the ENGAGE Programme has seen Sixty S4 student mentees from Tin Shui Wai, Tung Chung and Sham Shui Po, as well as sixty volunteers from various companies in Hong Kong, register already. On the 2nd of May, the participants engaged in different types of team building activities such as goal setting and planning, building self-respect and social skills, as well as mentor & mentee matching.