HKSAR govt to provide more jobs for graduates: chief executive

HONG KONG -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Wednesday night that the HKSAR government will provide more employment opportunities for new graduates.

Pointing out that Hong Kong's latest unemployment rate hit a record high of 5.9 percent in more than 15 years, Lam said in an online article that the unemployment rate among those aged between 20 and 24 was as high as 13.4 percent, and it did not include the figure of this year's graduates.

Lam said she has urged departments of the HKSAR government to provide more employment opportunities for graduates in a bid to strengthen their competitiveness.

So far, under the time-limited employment schemes launched and to be unveiled, a raft of employment opportunities for graduates have been provided, including 1,000 engineering trainees, 500 jobs related to environmental protection, 200 positions in private sectors related to ecological protection, green energy and climate change, and jobs or internships for 1,750 graduates of architecture, surveying and urban design, among others, she said.

She said in the coming months, the HKSAR government will continue to communicate with various sectors to explore more jobs for graduates with the anti-epidemic funds.

Lam encouraged graduates to be persevering, well prepared, and have confidence in Hong Kong to tide over the difficulties.