Civil service chief encourages ethnic minority youths to join civil service through internship program.

Secretary for the Civil Service, Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan, attended a sharing session on Friday for non-ethnic Chinese (NEC) students who participated in a government internship program, where she praised their contributions and encouraged them to consider careers in public service.

The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) has been running the Internship Program for NEC Students since 2019, providing young people from ethnic minority backgrounds with hands-on experience in various government departments.

This year, a record 44 students took part, bringing the total number of participants to over 220.

During the session, Yeung listened to the students’ experiences and emphasized the government’s commitment to diversity in recruitment. She stated that all candidates are assessed based on ability, performance, and character, and that race has never been a factor. She expressed her welcome for more talented young people, including NECs, to join in serving Hong Kong.

To inspire the interns, the CSB invited two ethnic minority civil servants—Administrative Officer Gurung Marco Ben and Executive Officer Kaur Gurinder Deep Diya—to share their career journeys.

Both Hong Kong-born and proficient in multiple languages, they secured their roles through open recruitment, demonstrating that dedication and skills are key to success in the civil service.

The eight-week internships expose students to real-world government operations while offering online Chinese language resources to improve their workplace communication skills.

Among this year’s participants, Sheik Mahmood Afif, a computer engineering student, worked at the Smart Government Innovation Lab, where he developed AI tools.

He mentioned that the internship helped him apply his studies practically and confirmed his interest in tech careers.

Meanwhile, Lama Sujata assisted the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in event planning and promotional design, gaining valuable experience in creative software and project coordination.

Social work student Narag Kezra Leigh supported the Labour Department’s youth employment initiatives, where she improved her interpersonal skills while learning about public services for young jobseekers.

Yeung expressed optimism about the growing diversity in the civil service and urged students to continue developing their skills. She stated her anticipation for seeing more NEC youth contribute to Hong Kong’s future.