[News from Institutions]Lenovo and Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology collaborate to cultivate IT talent
Both parties will co-develop new curriculum to nurture talent and fill the IT talent gap in Hong Kong

To nurture Hong Kong’s IT talent, Lenovo and the Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT), a member institution of the Vocational Training Council (VTC), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide new curriculum in emerging technologies and in-demand skills. Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry attended the MOU Signing Ceremony as the Guest of Honour. Leveraging Lenovo’s practical industry experience and HKIIT’s expertise in vocational and professional education and training, this collaboration aims to boost the workforce skillsets, and support the government’s efforts to transform the city into an innovation and IT hub. 

The MOU is inked at a time when the talent gap in Hong Kong remains critical post pandemic – according to the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce’s Talent Shortage Survey 2023, 74% of employers face talent shortages, with 61% dealing with this issue for up to three years. This sentiment is echoed by IT leaders in Hong Kong – according to the annual Lenovo Global Study of CIOs , a fifth (20%) of CIOs in Hong Kong feel that their organization and teams are not sufficiently resilient. 

To enrich the talent pool in key growth sectors that require digital skillsets, both parties will co-design new curriculums in emerging technologies and in-demand skills. In the first phase, experts from Lenovo will be invited to provide HKIIT students with a foundational course experience. The plan is then to further deepen the curriculum and expand these courses to industry practitioners through HKIIT's in-service training service, "SkillsUP." This will allow the practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the latest developments in the relevant field. The collaborative programme aims to provide more comprehensive professional training opportunities for students and industry practitioners, enabling them to adapt to the ever-changing technological environment and market demands. It also paves the way for them to secure vocational careers in Hong Kong’s technology sector, including opportunities with Lenovo, thereby contributing to the nurturing of talent for innovation and technology development in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.

Speaking at the MOU Signing Ceremony, Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, remarked “This partnership offers an exciting opportunity for both HKIIT students and Lenovo employees. Through a collaboration with HKIIT, students will gain valuable training, practical expertise, and internship opportunities in the innovation and technology (I&T) field to improve their career planning, while Lenovo employees can further develop their professional knowledge and expertise through upskilling at HKIIT. I look forward to seeing more partnerships between academia and industry in the future to help Hong Kong enrich its I&T talent pool. This will equip various sectors for closer collaboration and propel our shared vision of establishing Hong Kong as an international I&T hub”.

"Given the intense pace at which industries are transforming with advancements in Generative AI and Web 3.0, automation and other emerging technologies, the IT talent shortage is set to exacerbate unless we act fast. Investing in talent development through initiatives like our collaboration with HKIIT will enable organizations in Hong Kong to thrive and capture significant business growth opportunities. Lenovo is steadfastly committed to spurring Hong Kong’s development as a global innovation and technology hub," said Dr Ted Suen, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Lenovo PCCW Solutions.  

VTC Chairman Mr Tony Tai thanked the Government’s support for the establishment of HKIIT to focus on pre-employment training and in-service training for the IT sector with a view to strengthen Hong Kong's IT capabilities and meet the manpower and development needs of the industry. He said that the collaboration with Lenovo marked HKIIT’s first MOU signed with industry partner since its establishment in early November. He trusted that Lenovo, as a leading global technology company, would offer VTC students invaluable learning resources and internship opportunities through this partnership, enabling students to acquire industry knowledge and develop emerging skills required in the field. Mr. Tai added that HKIIT would also offer in-service training service named “SkillsUP” to help Lenovo's staff master the latest digital skills.

Under this collaboration, Lenovo will leverage its extensive experience in delivering its end-to-end pocket-to-cloud portfolio of solutions and services to shape vocational training courses for HKIIT students, equipping them with real-world professional skills. HKIIT will provide upskilling and on-the-job reskilling training for Lenovo staff, supporting them with continuous professional development. 

About Lenovo
Lenovo is a US$62 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #217 in the Fortune Global 500, employing 77,000 people around the world, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company by further expanding into growth areas that fuel the advancement of ‘New IT’ technologies (client, edge, cloud, network, and intelligence) including server, storage, mobile, software, solutions, and services. This transformation together with Lenovo’s world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992)(ADR: LNVGY). To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.

About Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT)
The Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT) is a member institution of VTC, dedicated to offer IT and relevant technology programmes to nurture IT talents and to serve as an IT training and examination hub which will also give intensive and comprehensive support to the Government’s policies on innovation and technology (I&T), as well as the digital transformation of various industries.Website: www.hkiit.edu.hk

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