The Labour Department's 11 Job Centres now feature special counters for temporary workers whose contracts are not renewed.

These workers can use the department's employment services, including a large-scale recruitment forum to be held February 27 at Central Library, offering more than 3,000 vacancies from the catering, security, retail and other sectors.

The department will canvass suitable openings from potential employers to organise a job fair on April 7 at Queen Elizabeth Stadium for young workers whose contracts are not renewed.

Alternatively, affected young workers can join the department's Youth Work Experience & Training Scheme, which provides on-the-job training and work experience to those aged 15 to 24 without a university degree.

10,000 youth workers to benefit

The Government will run the scheme for two more years at a cost of $300 million to benefit another 10,000 youths.

Young people interested in self-employment can consider joining the $30 million Youth Self-employment Support Scheme to be launched in the second quarter of 2004 to help 1,000 young people.

As for workers in other age groups, those aged 40 and above can join the Re-employment Training Programme for the Middle-aged, which has 9,000 places still available.

There is also a quota of about 7,000 under the Local Domestic Helpers Incentive Allowance Scheme.