Skilling for the Future (2020 Update)

The HKSAR Government is committed to promoting VPET in Hong Kong to encourage young people to pursue education pathways and join industries that best suit their abilities and interests. Maximising the Value of VPET Recognising the importance of VPET in shaping the future workforce to sustain the social and economic development of Hong Kong, the HKSAR Government has established dedicated task forces, namely Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education and Task Force on Promotion of VPET in 2014 and 2018 respectively, gathering experts in respective fields to recommend strategies for furthering the development of VPET in Hong Kong. The first task force recommended a three-pronged strategy with a total of 27 recommendations in 2015, including the rebranding of “vocational education and training (VET)” as “vocational and professional education and training (VPET)” to cover programmes up to the degree level in the VPET pathway; strengthening promotion of VPET and sustaining efforts to support VPET. As part of the efforts to promote VPET, the HKSAR Government has announced in the 2017 Policy Address the identification of a site in Cha Kwo Ling for the future development of a multi-disciplinary VTC campus to meet the teaching and learning needs of the new generation. To strengthen the VPET ecosystem in Hong Kong, the Task Force on Promotion of VPET further mapped out recommendations in four major areas in 2020, including the promotion of VPET in Secondary Education, the promotion of VPET in Higher Education, the development of Vocational Progression Pathways, and the future promotion of VPET. VPET pathways should be expanded and enriched to provide more programmes with greater flexibility, as well as an emphasis on application and industry input, while underpinned by a robust qualifications system, with a view to enabling young people to acquire professional work skills, applied knowledge in innovation and technology, as well as critical soft skills to excel in the new digital age. Government’s Steer in Driving VPET Development 112