The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau, in partnership with the Cyberport Management Company and the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) today launched the Youth Start-up Internship Programme 2023, offering 200 internship placements at local startups.

The Chief Executive stated in his 2022 Policy Address that the Government should create opportunities for children to develop and flourish while nurturing a new generation of young people having an affection for the country and for Hong Kong and possessing global perspectives, who will contribute to the development of the country and the city.

The bureau has recently published the first edition of the Youth Development Blueprint which outlines the principles, objectives and actions of the Government in pursuing youth development work.

Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak said the blueprint sets out its plans to deepen young people's understanding of Hong Kong's development into the eight centres as laid out in the National 14th Five-Year Plan and the related opportunities, and also provide them with more internship, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in relevant fields. In this connection, the bureau will regularise and expand the Youth Start-up Internship Programme.

She added that the bureau co-organised the programme with Cyberport in September 2021 on a pilot basis to provide 100 internship placements, which was well-received by young people and startups.

Following the success of the pilot programme, the bureau expanded its scope with the HKSTP joining as a co-organiser. Together, Cyberport and the HKSTP will provide a total of 200 internship placements under the programme, doubling the number in the previous round.

Some of the placements can also be extended from the original three months to six months, so that young people can have a longer placement period to gain an in-depth understanding about the operation of startups and the innovation and technology ecosystem in the city, facilitating their consideration of whether to pursue entrepreneurship in future.

The internship placements cover various disciplines, such as data analysis, software engineering, marketing, business development and design.

The Government will provide a subsidy to participating companies to engage interns on a full-time, part-time or mixed basis. Applicants should be local full-time post-secondary students and Hong Kong permanent residents. Apart from internship placements, Cyberport and the HKSTP will also arrange a series of training and entrepreneurship activities for the interns.

Interested young people should submit applications to companies online. Upon receipt of the applications, participating companies will conduct assessment and selection for implementing the internship arrangements.