Civil service takes studied approach to recruitment

More targeted measures will be rolled out to encourage and attract youngsters to join the government, including allowing them to work in different departments during their holiday, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said yesterday.

In a meeting of the Legislative Council's public service panel, she said bureaus and departments will treat fresh graduates as family members and cultivate a sense of belonging to prevent them from leaving.

Year-three students with conditional offers will get to work as interns to familiarize them with workplaces.

"I think this can help avoid candidates joining us with some misunderstanding, and later leaving us after understanding [the workplace environment]."

Authorities in June announced an expansion of civil service recruitment to year-three local university students. Departments would previously only consider final-year students.

Yeung said 2024 and 2025 graduates would be considered for positions in 22 levels from 14 departments in the next round of recruitment starting this month and next, after seeing a manpower shortfall of 17,000.

Authorities have seen applications increase significantly after expanding recruitment to current students, and Yeung said the arrangement would be extended to cover more positions.

More than 7,600 people applied to be customs inspectors this year, up from 4,000 last year.

Yeung also said an exchange program would be launched soon.

The new round of applications for the common recruitment examination and the Basic Law and national security law test opens from today to 5 pm on August 17.

Candidates must sit the two exams to apply for any civil service position.

A drive will begin next month to fill posts in six grades, including administrative officer, executive officer II, assistant labor officer II, assistant trade officer II, management services officer II, and transport officer II.

The Immigration Department said it has received more than 6,000 applications for officer positions, 40 percent higher than last year.

Nearly 100 applications were from students about to graduate while 240 are locals studying in the mainland.

The department said it started the selection process on July 25 and would arrange additional physical fitness test sessions tomorrow and next Saturday.