HKPC Hosts the 4th “Winter InnoTalent” Internship Programme Graduation Ceremony Empowering Interns to Experience New Industrialisation, Nurturing I&T Talent, Leading “Hong Kong Got Industries” Into a New Chapter

(Hong Kong, 31 January 2024) Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) has been committed to cultivating young innovation and technology (I&T) talent and future leaders in Hong Kong. The efforts serve to showcase the advantages of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) in I&T development, attract and retain talent in Hong Kong, and enhance overall competitiveness. Today, “HKPC FutureSkills” hosted the graduation ceremony for the fourth “Winter InnoTalent” Internship Programme (Winter Internship Programme), which allows university students to gain practical workplace experience and diverse learning opportunities to establish a solid foundation for their future careers.

The Winter InnoTalent Programme of this year lasted for six and a half weeks, attracted approximately 800 university student applicants from Hong Kong, Mainland and overseas. A total of 31 outstanding students were selected to intern at various departments of HKPC. The interns participated in a series of activities, including the new industrialisation sharing session and the FutureSkills course. They also took part in two signature events of HKPC this year, the “Hong Kong Got Industries: Strategic Alliance Showcase” and “ForeSight 2024”, where they learned about latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. They witnessed the joint efforts by HKPC and the industry to promote new industrialisation and sustainable development.

Interns said they had gained eye-opening experiences and benefited greatly from the internship programme. They had first-hand experience about the future trends of “Hong Kong Got Industries” and gained insights into the progress of Hong Kong's new industrialisation. They were inspired by the extensive application of advanced technology in industries and daily life, which changed their stereotypical impressions of Hong Kong's industries and even the overall industrial landscape. They realised that technological advancements have reduced the space required for manufacturing, and new industrialisation promotes wider adoption of technologies, enabling the development of industries in Hong Kong's compact urban environment. Hong Kong is evolving into an international I&T centre. Enhancing the advantages of Hong Kong's manufacturing requires joint efforts from all sectors of society. The interns also called for greater support from all sectors, including promoting STEAM and nurturing I&T talent.

Mr Mohamed D. BUTT, MH, Executive Director of HKPC, said, “Hong Kong's I&T development has entered a golden period. The national ‘14th Five-Year Plan’ supports Hong Kong in building an international I&T centre. The HKSAR Government has set I&T as a policy priority, actively promoting the application of technology to advance new industrialisation and creating new impetus to Hong Kong's high-quality development. To promote Hong Kong's new industrialisation, talent is a crucial element. As a leading institution in applied research and development (R&D) in Hong Kong, HKPC has been committed to encouraging young people to get involved in the I&T industry through various activities, understanding the development of I&T in the GBA, and successful cases of technology commercialisaiton. We hope that all interns will continue to learn and explore technology in the future, combine innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, become future InnoPreneurs, and take up the baton to lead 'Hong Kong Got Industries' into a new chapter.”

One highlight of this internship programme was the field visits to observe the development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong and the GBA. The interns visited Hongrita Group’s factory in Zhongshan, Guangdong province. The enterprise aims to achieve “Lighthouse Factory” recognition and has applied a Digital Management System (DMS) jointly developed with HKPC. The system enables more precise and efficient production planning and achieves comprehensive digitisation of production processes. After visiting the factory, interns discovered that the level of mechanisation in the factory was higher than they had imagined, with fewer workers than expected. This broke their stereotypical impressions of factories. They also visited the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMC) in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, Hong Kong, which has advanced production and testing processes and provides services such as logistics, warehousing, prototyping, and cleanroom spaces, helping companies achieve highly customised production with high added value and small batch sizes. The interns had the opportunity to experience and understand how various advanced manufacturing technologies promote the development of new industrialisation.

Another highlight of the Winter Internship Programme is the arrangement of mentors with rich experience in I&T to guide the interns, allowing them to have in-depth exchanges with industry experts, inspiring their career directions, motivating them to pursue excellence in the field of I&T, and fully demonstrate their strengths. The mentors are all engaged in R&D involving different fields such as construction, plastic processing, food processing, and waste management, and have participated in HKPC projects to support enterprises’ development. They stated, “In the past, when conducting R&D at other institutions, we often stayed at the theoretical level, with limited opportunities for practical applications. However, the situation is completely different at HKPC. Our research is frequently used in practical scenarios, and it is very fulfilling to see how our expertise can benefit the public. We believe that the internship programme, as a platform and window for interns to understand I&T, can attract more young people to join the I&T industry.”

The interns are divided into five groups to present their I&T proposals to the expert judging panel, focusing on addressing issues in areas such as medical care, nursing, and environmental protection. They apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems and have been highly recognised by the judges for their innovative spirit, sense of social responsibility, and teamwork. After evaluation, the group with the project theme “Seat Up” won has been the Best Graduation Project Award for the winter internship programme. Their proposal focuses on the common issue of prolonged sitting among urbanites, which has led to increasing back problems. They suggest designing an AI-powered ergonomic chair that alerts users to poor sitting posture and provides corrective methods. Additionally, the chair will remind users to stand up regularly, aiming to improve health issues caused by prolonged sitting.

Mr Brian WONG, Chief People and Culture Officer of HKPC, said, “HKPC has always attached great importance to nurturing young talent in I&T. The internship programme held twice a year is our flagship activity to cultivate future talent and enlarge the I&T talent pool. Through the internship programme, interns from renowned universities around the world gain practical experience in the workplace. After the programme, they can maintain contact through the 'Intern Alumni ' programme, exchange industry information, and prepare themselves for joining the I&T industry, or even joining the HKPC family. HKPC will continue to cultivate InnoTalent and broaden the horizons of the younger generation in I&T, encouraging young talent from Hong Kong and overseas to join I&T and new industrialisation sectors in Hong Kong.”

A new round of HKPC's internship programme will be held in the summer of 2024, and the application will open in February 2024. Further details will be announced later. Please stay tuned.

- Ends -

Mr Mohamed D. BUTT, MH, Executive Director of HKPC (sixth from left in the last row), Mr Brian WONG, Chief People and Culture Officer of HKPC (first from right in the last row), HKPC representatives and interns joined the 4th Winter Internship Programme Graduation Ceremony today. At the graduation ceremony, interns expressed their gratitude to HKPC and Hongrita Group, thanking them for their guidance and career development advice.

The group of interns with the theme “Seat Up” take a photo together as the winner of the Best Graduation Project Award for the Winter Internship Programme. The interns were divided into five groups to present their I&T proposals to the expert judging panels.

The interns completed a six-and-a-half-week Winter Internship Programme. They summarised their experiences and insights gained during the activities together with their mentors.