VTC to join Education & Careers Expo,
providing immersive experiences in new skills

The Vocational Training Council (VTC) will participate in the four-day Education & Careers Expo to be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai from 24 to 27 January, providing information on further studies, training and professional development through vocational and professional education and training (VPET) for young people and in-service workers. Interested Secondary 6 students can also apply for the programmes on the spot.

The VTC booth, themed “Skilling Talent for a Smart Future”, showcases the Council’s latest progress in teaching and learning including technology-enabled learning, the nurturing of creative thinking, and the promotion of interdisciplinary collaborations. To tie in with this theme, a variety of outstanding products and projects developed by VTC students and teachers, teaching facilities, and prizewinning works will be showcased. The Skills Excellence Zone located to the rear of the booth will make available a range of activities for members of the public to experience the fun of skills for themselves.

The booth will exhibit products designed by VTC students and teachers making use of innovative technologies, to be tried out by visitors. Products will include the mobile app “Sleeping Monitor” developed by students of the Information Technology Discipline at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), a VTC member institution. The app is designed to improve sleep quality. It monitors the brainwaves of users and selects appropriate music to induce busy urban dwellers into deep sleep. The app won the second runner-up in the JOS Innovation Awards 2017-18.

The “Kinetic Exercise Game for the Elderly” developed by students and teachers of IVE’s Applied Science Discipline makes use of kinetics and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to help the elderly exercise their lower limbs and enhance their balance. Other IVE students and teachers from the Engineering Discipline will demonstrate their brand-new BIM (Building Information Modelling) software that takes visitors on a virtual museum tour with the aid of VR technology.

Other innovative products on display created by VTC students will include the “3D Heat Conductive Knee Sleeves” and “Innovative Foot Biomechanics for Enhancing Design and Comfort of Ladies’ High-heeled Footwear Design”, developed by a team from the Centre of Innovative Material and Technology (CIMT) of Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI). The “3D Heat Conductive Knee Sleeves” make use of smart conductive yarn to relieve stress on joint muscles. Last year this design won a Silver Medal in the “Clothing-Textiles-Machines and Accessories” category at the 46th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, as well as the 2018 Red Dot Award: Design Concept in the fashion and mobile life categories. Meanwhile the “Innovative Foot Biomechanics for Enhancing Design and Comfort of Ladies’ High-heeled Footwear Design” pioneers the application of magnetorheological fluid in its insole design, offering flexible cushioning and stability support with optimal pressure distribution. The insoles relieve pressure on the feet and lower limbs as a result of wearing high-heeled shoes. The project won a Gold Medal in the “Clothing-Textiles-Machines and Accessories” category at the 46th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.

Also on show will be the inclusive playground design “Reptile Fun”, developed by graduates of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Landscape Architecture at the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), another VTC member institution. The design won the student group prize in the UNICEF Inclusive Play Space Design Ideas Competition 2015, and some of the winning concepts have been adopted in the recently-opened Tuen Mun Park.

Another highlight of the VTC booth, the Skills Excellence Zone, offers visitors different activities and workshops. For instance, they can assemble by hand a Bluetooth-controlled race car and operate it from a distance through hand movements or voice, with the aid of an app developed by students and teachers of IVE’s Engineering Discipline. The Tour Guiding Game designed by students and teachers of IVE’s Hospitality Discipline gives players a taste of being a tour guide and answers questions on particular attractions in Hong Kong, which helps make learning fun.

To help students and working adults explore more information about key occupations in Hong Kong and guide them in education decisions and career planning, the VTC’s Occupation Dictionary portal will be made available on site. It provides information on around 500 occupations, including the general requirements, the skills and competencies required, and the career paths.

VTC education advisor will lead a seminar advising visitors on course information and the progression pathways available at the VTC. There will also be various demonstrations including make-up, hair-styling, culinary and food science. VTC will partner with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to present talks on the Tech & Creativity Theme Day at which VTC graduates will talk about the new opportunities created by the latest science and technology developments (please see Annexes 2 & 3).

The VTC booth will also provide counselling services on progression options and programme information for a number of VTC member institutions, including THEi, IVE, HKDI, the International Culinary Institute (ICI), the Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI), the Hotel and Tourism Institute (HTI) and the Youth College. Secondary 6 students will be able to apply on the spot through the VTC online admission system. The deadline for applications is 28 February.

Established in 1982, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) is the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong. The mission of VTC is to provide a valued choice to school leavers and working people to acquire the values, knowledge and skills for lifelong learning and enhanced employability, and also to provide support to industries for their manpower development. VTC has 13 member institutions, namely the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) , the Institute of Professional Education And Knowledge (PEAK) , the School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE), the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) , the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) , the Hotel and Tourism Institute (HTI) , the Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI) , the International Culinary Institute (ICI) , the Maritime Services Training Institute (MSTI) , Youth College , Pro-Act by VTC , the Integrated Vocational Development Centre (IVDC) and the Shine Skills Centre.
 
Website: www.vtc.edu.hk

Annex 1: Information on VTC Booth at Education & Careers Expo

Annex 2: Main Seminars

Annex 3: Main Demonstrations at VTC Booth