Near 60pc of young people are pessimistic about Hong Kong's future: survey

A survey conducted by Youth I.D.E.A.S. reveals that 60 percent of the young people surveyed are pessimistic about the economic development prospects of Hong Kong, with nearly 85 percent believing that changes are necessary for the local economy.  

Youth I.D.E.A.S., an independent think tank focusing on youth issues, interviewed 600 working young individuals aged 18 to 34 to gauge their views on Hong Kong's economic prospects over the next three years. The average rating given was only 5.95 out of 10.  

Participants expressed concerns about potential salary cuts and their professional knowledge or skills becoming outdated. Additionally, more than 85 percent agreed that nurturing local talent is crucial for facilitating economic development in Hong Kong.  

The think tank emphasized that economic transformation requires collaboration between institutions and support from mainland enterprises.  

Tony Lau Hon-yiu, convener of the employment and economy group at the think tank, proposed that universities of applied sciences should collaborate with corporations to offer technical training courses in areas of industry demand, such as big data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI). This initiative aims to boost the supply of local talent.  

He also suggested involving some mainland technology companies in these efforts to leverage their advanced technology, thereby enhancing the quality of training and improving market competitiveness.