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Letters

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words.
A Legislative Council exchange last week revealed that entry-level graduate jobs have fallen 61 per cent in three years, with administrative roles down nearly 90 per cent, due in part to the widespread use of artificial intelligence (“Hong Kong labour chief rejects review of non-local graduate visas despite job slump”, May 13).
Yet the government projects a labour shortfall of 180,000 workers by 2028. Skilled technicians account for a third of that gap.
The problem is not a lack of training courses. This is a problem of matching. Many Hongkongers do not know which skills to learn or how to turn a certificate into a job. There is no systematic guidance, no personalised coaching, and no follow up on whether training leads to better pay.
The upgrade of the Employees Retraining Board, which will be renamed Upskill Hong Kong, is welcome. The new AI research institute and other initiatives show genuine commitment. But the underlying philosophy remains largely unchanged: build more training supply or “canteens”, and hand out Continuing Education Fund vouchers for residents to choose their own “meals”. That model works for the self-motivated, but leaves others behind.
Singapore offers a constructive example. Its Workforce Singapore – which will soon be merged with another agency to offer a more integrated workforce ecosystem – functions less like a canteen and more like a health clinic. Jobseekers receive an initial self-assessment, are matched with a certified career coach and receive ongoing support. Under the new Skills and Workforce Development Agency, success will continue to be measured by outcomes: time to job placement and wage growth, not just training numbers.
I am not advocating a copy of Singapore’s model. Every city has its own labour market dynamics. But the core insight of moving from passive course supply to active career guidance is worth learning from.
Hong Kong has ample resources, including a substantial Continuing Education Fund balance, world-class universities and a reforming Employees Retraining Board. What we lack is the “clinic” layer: proactive, one-on-one career guidance tied to measurable labour market results.
A pilot career coaching scheme for Continuing Education Fund applicants would be modest in scale, and the fund balance should be substantial enough to absorb it. Funding should be conditional on job placement within six months and wage progression, targeting skilled technicians first, where the shortage is most acute.
Let us move from “you are on your own” to “we will help you get healthier”. A small shift from canteens to clinics could transform our skills ecosystem into a genuine engine of career health. The window is open. Let us make the most of it.
Andy Chan, Yuen Long
Regulate ride-hailing but let it be a viable livelihood
I am a father and the sole breadwinner for my family of seven, and a recent victim of lay-offs after 15 years in a stressful office job. With four school-going children plus a baby, I had hoped to finally retire from rigid hours and commuting, and start driving for a ride-hailing platform.
The new policy – quota limits, licensing and insurance mandates – risks shutting that door (“Hong Kong authorities to set cap on ride-hailing vehicles ahead of Legco break”, May 11). My plan was to find honest, flexible work that lets me be present for my young children while earning more than my old office salary. Instead, I now fear I will be pushed out before I even begin.
I also write as a non-ethnic Chinese resident. Across 15 years in Hong Kong, I have applied for countless jobs and received not one response. Ride-hailing offers people like me a rare chance to work without facing a discriminatory hiring wall. It provides dignity, independence and the ability to support a large family without begging for a chance that never comes.
Please do not regulate this path out of existence. A flexible, legal ride-hailing framework with fair insurance and sensible licensing will help not just me, but thousands of others who simply want to work and care for their families.
Wajid Khokhar, Sau Mau Ping
Fusion cuisine could be a highlight of dining scene
The trend of Hongkongers crossing the border to the mainland to dine and shop is not new. It’s not hard to see why.
Restaurants in Shenzhen and other nearby cities not only offer better prices for food of a similar quality, but also have attentive service staff who follow the rule that “the customer is always right”, so patrons have a good experience.
Since shop rent in Hong Kong is more expensive, Hong Kong can’t compete on price alone. The key factor for rebuilding consumer trust is creativity, while maintaining food quality. I believe fusion cuisine can help reignite consumer interest in local restaurants. Hong Kong should make good use of the “East meets West” concept – restaurants could try combining foreign food with local street food, for example.
At the same time, of course, Hong Kong must continue to preserve its distinctive cha chaan teng and “bing sutt”.
Frank Lam Wai Hin, Tuen Mun


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Wall Street Journal publisher convicted for blocking reporter’s bid to lead union

Hong Kong workers and labour rights

Hong Kong must match worker to job. More training is not enough

People walk on the streets of Hong Kong’s Central district during lunch hour on January 30. Photo: Karma Lo

Hong Kong labour chief rejects review of non-local graduate visas despite job slump

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun says Hong Kong cannot rely solely on local graduates as the workforce shrinks, amid calls to review visa schemes. Photo: Dickson Lee.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun. Photo: Dickson Lee

‘Too hard’: is AI squeezing graduates out of Hong Kong’s job market?

Jobseekers attend a career fair at the Tin Ching Community Hall in Tin Shui Wai. Photo: Nora Tam

Andy Luk says the economic downturn and geopolitical tensions are the real reasons for the slump, rather than AI or non-local talent. Photo: Edmond So

Opinion

Readers call for the introduction of professional career coaching, a flexible ride-hailing framework, and more creativity for local restaurants


Readers call for the introduction of professional career coaching, a flexible ride-hailing framework, and more creativity for local restaurants.


.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Readers call for the introduction of professional career coaching, a flexible ride-hailing framework, and more creativity for local restaurants

Readers call for the introduction of professional career coaching, a flexible ride-hailing framework, and more creativity for local restaurants