Youthful enthusiasm was running high at the Career Forum when the topical seminars opened with the Young Marketer of Tomorrow contest briefing. This signature event was organised by Classified Post in association with premier partner Tap & Go by HKT, and more than 200 students participated. Before announcing the theme of the contest, Chris Fung, Senior Vice President, Financial Services at HKT, sketched the background of the brand, noting the development of stored value facilities and a faster payment system. Fung highlighted the importance of understanding the brand’s market, corporate structure, product and tactics when formulating creative and practical ideas.
Dachser, which has its headquarters in Germany, had officials and two management trainees (MTs) on stage for the seminar “Global career at your doorstep: MT programme Dachser Asia Pacific.” The international logistics company’s brand promise is to provide the security on both shipment and customer data, while offering the best product, pricing and quality. This year, to nurture future business leaders for the industry, Dachser recruited a limited number of MTs. Their training objective is to provide more focused resources for a tailor-made syllabus to match students’ personalities and career expectations.
Ambrose Lau, Project Manager, Human Resources, made it clear the company’s openings are not confined to logistics graduates, and welcomed all university graduates. “We believe in diversity, as ideas from different subjects could benefit the organisation,” said Lau. During their 24-month on-the-job training, the MTs will be rotated through major international business functions, attend classroom training, and receive executive coaching and guidance from senior management. The training covers front-line positions like sales and customer service and back-end departments such as pricing.
“As MTs are new to the logistics industry, we will also provide various in-house training opportunities like leadership, presentation and business communication skills,” said Lau. “MTs will also be engaged in project management to enhance their knowledge of some departments. The training will be a kind of standardisation project that informs them about departmental insights and gives them more knowledge about the industry. When they graduate, we provide a job placement within the company. This could be in Hong Kong, or in other areas of the Asia Pacific region, depending on their job performance and their personal preferences,” Lau said.
Wilson Chow, a management trainee from Hong Kong, is about to complete the journey this summer. He already holds a bachelor’s degree in logistics and a master’s degree in supply chain logistics, which he studies in the UK. “I think my international experience, such as my overseas study, gave me an edge,” said Chow. “Moreover, my attitude and mentality also counted, as the post required job rotation. I’m adaptable, and that helps with that aspect. Looking back, the key part for me was that I was able to find my career path, and learn where to focus my efforts. Logistics covers a broad area, and it’s hard to define it exactly.”
“During my 24-month stint, I specialised in contract logistics, which involves finding efficient warehouse logistics solutions,” said Chow. “It involved relationships with warehouses, and my responsibilities ranged from identifying sites to developing tailor-made transportation solutions.”
“It’s important to have an open mind. You have to be willing to learn, as well as share your opinions,” said Chow. “You are never short of opportunities to meet the managing directors and senior management, and they always challenge you, and grill you with questions in face-to-face presentations. So be prepared for pressure and resistance. I have been assigned to a station in Singapore for two months. It’s my last stop, and I will apply what I learned in Europe, where things happen in a different way. After this, I will remain in Asia and develop my logistics profession with Dachser,” he said.
Terry Yang, a management trainee from Korea, already had some experience working in logistics, and joined the company in 2017, after several rounds of interviews. “Think about whether you are ready to prove yourself. The programme is all about proving that you are eligible to work in the company,” Yang said. “Self-confidence and analytical skills also count. When I travelled to different locations, I was always asked to make reports and analyse issues. I even worked with managing directors and department heads, who used MTs to drive the special projects that they didn’t have time to do. The work doesn’t always involve logistics, as some of it is to provide management and training for the leaders of the future. The company is looking for a long-term investment,” Yang said.
“I also improved my presentation skills, because we had to deliver presentations after every single training session,” said Yang. “Presentations always take place in front of top management, and you must be prepared to address their questions instantly. I have already been offered a position in Hong Kong after I graduate. The offer came from one of the managers I worked with.”
Those graduates who value careers that will last a lifetime may be destined for government departments. The civil service is Hong Kong’s biggest employer, and once probationary requirements have been fulfilled, new additions to its ranks have “jobs for life.”
In terms of staff numbers, the Hong Kong Police Force is the SAR government’s major recruiter, and offers many interesting positions to applicants who are looking for jobs for life, plus a dash of spice. The force has a staff of 30,856, including around 4,000 civilians. Its writ includes the present boundaries of Hong Kong’s land border, plus the SAR’s waters, which are patrolled day and night by the armed launches of the Marine Police.
Many residents believe Hong Kong is one of the world’s safest and most stable societies. Much of the credit for this goes to the Hong Kong Police Force, which plays a pivotal role in upholding a stable and secure community. Police Constable (PC) Chan Kin-wai gave this brief account of some of the force’s many responsibilities: “The posts provide unique work support to over 100 government departments under the force’s umbrella, which includes the Marine Police, the Dog Unit, the Traffic Branch, the Police Tactical Unit, and even the Counter Terrorism Response Unit. My 28-year stint with the force covered several different branches, such as the Patrol Sub Unit and the Police Tactical Unit. Additionally, if you like driving, we have a diverse fleet of vehicles,” Chan said.
After playing a short video highlighting the force’s duties on land, at sea, and even in the air, Chan noted that applicants must be Permanent Hong Kong Residents who have lived in the SAR for more than seven years. “Applicants must also have a good physique and good eyesight,” said Chan. “Candidates must pass an initial eyesight test which entails identifying 10 characters/symbols from a 3-metre distance without the aid of any eyesight correction tools. If you correctly identify half of the images, you pass. Despite different academic requirements for PC and Inspector, both adopt the same physical fitness test standards,” said Chan, noting that applicants should train for three months before attempting the physical test.
In terms of welfare, the force offers quarters for married staff, and the Police Sports & Recreation Club (PSRC). Chan also said that the force promotes healthy living, so the recreational and entertainment facilities at the PSRC can be used by police staff and their family. The premises are also home to 16 arts clubs, including a Chinese history club and a band, as well as 34 sports clubs offering basketball, rowing and Judo.
Members of the police force are certainly spoilt for choice, as were the many students and job seekers who took advantage of the opportunities offered at the Career Forum.
