（25 October 2014, Hong Kong） Facing the issue of the steadily high youth unemployment rate, NWS Holdings Limited (“NWS Holdings” or “the Group”; Hong Kong stock code: 659) co-organised a career planning and job shadowing programme－Career GPS－with the Hong Kong Playground Association, where the programme enters its second phase, to assist hundreds of teenagers ranged from 15 to 20 years old in planning their career through on-the-job trainings at our subsidiary companies and under the guidance and support from the Group’s corporate volunteer team, NWS Volunteer Alliance.
Programme youngsters and mentors attended the kick-off ceremony held on 25 October. This year’s programme has elevated with new initiatives, including a series of career talks, communication and branding skill exercises and career oriented trainings. Outstanding participants will be further assigned to on-the-job training offered by the Group’s member companies, which include Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited, Hip Hing Construction Company Limited, New World Construction Company Limited, New World First Bus Services Limited, Citybus Limited and New World First Ferry Services Limited, to allow a better understanding in business operations and to plan for their long-term career goals.
According to the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, the unemployment rate for young people has remained all-time high in the past ten years. The overall unemployment rate remains at 3.4% in 2013, compared to 14.5% for young people between 15 and 19. The overall and youth unemployment rate in the second quarter this year recorded to be 3.3% and 14.6% respectively, which shows the urgency to tackle the youth unemployment issue. Patrick Lam, Executive Director for NWS Holdings, said, “This programme aims to help members of the next generation set foot on their career path through company visits and on-the-job trainings at our diversified businesses, such as public transport, convention centre and construction, along with the guidance of our corporate volunteers while attracting new talent to the Group.”
Leung Wai Kuen, Executive Director of Playground Association, said, “We have joined hands with NWS Holdings through implementing comprehensive youth programmes since 2009, while both institutions have stepped up the modality for cooperation last year by launching a career planning and job shadowing programme to allow youngsters have a better understanding on how does a commercial business model runs, while enhancing their employability in the meantime.”
The three-year Career GPS Programme is solely sponsored by the NWS Holdings Charities Foundation since 2013 and a total of 50 youngsters have completed first phase of the programme. To Siu Ming, Assistant Professor of Department of Social Work for The Chinese University of Hong Kong has been invited as a consultant for the programme and worked on collecting and analysing data from youngsters. The positive results indicate that twenty percent of the total participants acquired a job after the programme, while sixty percent of them continue on their studies. Second phase of the programme has as well taken results from first phase into account by enhancing the job shadowing, communication and branding skill exercises and career oriented trainings for participants. (Details can be referred to the appendix)
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This press release is also available on the Group’s website ( www.nws.com.hk).
NWS Holdings Limited (“NWS Holdings”, Hong Kong stock code: 659), the infrastructure and service flagship of New World Development Company Limited (Hong Kong stock code: 17), operates businesses in Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macau. Its Infrastructure portfolio includes Roads, Energy, Water and Ports & Logistics projects. Its Services portfolio comprises Facilities Management (the management of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and Free Duty), Construction & Transport (construction, bus and ferry services) and Strategic Investments.
Established in 1933, Hong Kong Playground Association is a long-time non-governmental organization providing social services to children and young people in Hong Kong. Through diversified and pertinent services, we aim at breeding youngsters’ holistic development and nurturing them to be successors of the Hong Kong society. All the way we uphold our spirit of “person-oriented and strive for excellence”, so as to benefit the younger generation and contribute to the society as a whole. At the same time, we devote to becoming a prestigious and professional children and youth service organization at local and international levels.
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NWS Holdings Limited
