Workers offered AI training as technology powers ahead

The Hong Kong government is set to provide training for white-collar workers to help them adapt to advancements in artificial intelligence, according to Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun. This initiative follows an estimation by the Labour and Welfare Bureau that the city will face a shortage of around 130,000 workers by 2028, a significant decrease from the initial projection of 180,000.

Sun revealed that improved labor force projections are a result of the rapid development of AI technology. He predicted that businesses will modify their hiring practices, seeking employees with both AI skills and industry knowledge. Sun anticipated a demand for approximately 15,000 to 20,000 skilled workers in the coming years.

He emphasized that the Upskill Hong Kong program will offer AI training courses to current employees, particularly those in white-collar clerical roles, to equip them with additional AI skills and enable a transition to jobs that combine AI and their existing expertise. Upskill Hong Kong, previously known as the Employees Retraining Board, will undergo a name change and receive expanded statutory responsibilities to deliver advanced training programs for more highly educated workers.

Sun also addressed the challenge faced by new graduates in finding employment due to businesses' reluctance to hire amidst rapid technological progress. In response, the government announced measures in its latest Policy Address to collaborate with major employers and trade associations to create approximately 10,000 full-time jobs lasting at least six months over the next two years.

Starting from the first quarter of 2027, the government will subsidize wages by paying up to HK$6,000 or one-third of the monthly salary during the initial six months of these positions.