A recent job opening for a production assistant at Hong Kong's official banknote printing facility has captured the public's imagination, with many lauding it as the ultimate "dream job" while former staff and interviewees have come forward to reveal the demanding reality of the role.
Hong Kong Note Printing Limited, the company responsible for printing banknotes for the city's three issuing banks (Bank of China, HSBC, and Standard Chartered), has created a buzz with its latest recruitment drive for its plant in the Tai Po Industrial Estate.
The advertised production assistant role has a relatively low entry barrier, requiring only a secondary school education, with the company providing all necessary on-the-job professional training.
The duties listed include supporting the factory's production processes, such as moving paper, recording counts, and packaging, as well as adding ink and performing other miscellaneous tasks.
However, the advertisement clearly states that the position requires shift work, including overnight duties.
The job posting quickly went viral, attracting significant attention from netizens. Many were fascinated by the idea of a job that literally involves "printing money," with some humorously asking, "Will there be a staff discount, like buying the product at 80 percent off?"
However, the discussion soon shifted to the working conditions. The requirement for rotating shifts, including overnight work approximately every two weeks, became a point of contention, with one user commenting, "Alternating every two weeks, including overnight shifts, sounds incredibly tough."
More revealingly, individuals claiming to have previously worked or interviewed at the facility shared their experiences, painting a picture of a highly stringent and isolating work environment.
They described being "cut off from the world and constantly monitored," with strict rules prohibiting talking to colleagues during work hours.
Furthermore, they mentioned that all employees are subject to body searches when entering and leaving the facility, and personal items like phones and wallets must be locked away in a locker.
As one commenter concluded, the job seems best suited for introverts, or "I-people," who can tolerate the solitary and high-security conditions.
