Initiative pushes for wider recognition of skills in area

A ceremony recognizing the employment of young people from Hong Kong in cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area on the Chinese mainland was held in Guangzhou on Sept 13, 2023. [Photo provided to China Daily]

South China's Guangdong province and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions have vowed to enhance the quality and competitiveness of their skilled talent to better serve the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the months to come.

On Tuesday, the regions came together to sign the Guangdong-Hong Kong Skilled Talent Evaluation Cooperation Framework Agreement. This initiative aims to strengthen cooperation and promote the integration of skilled talent in the GBA. They unveiled a skilled talent evaluation station in Guangzhou's Nansha district.

According to the agreement, Guangdong and Hong Kong will promote cooperation in the training and evaluation of skilled talent in the regions to accelerate their development.

The regions, which are eager to advance integrated development, will leverage their respective advantages and establish a standardized evaluation system for skilled talent in the GBA, the agreement said.

The signing of the agreement indicates a comprehensive upgrade in cooperation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in talent training through the mutual recognition of professional certificates.

The agreement allows residents to obtain three vocational skill-level certificates that are recognized by all three regions, making cross-regional employment more convenient in the GBA, it said.

Ye Lei, director of the Guangdong Vocational Skills Service Guidance Center, said the signing of the framework enriches high-level talent in the GBA.

"Relevant departments from Guangdong will focus on industrial development and jointly explore the expansion of 'one exam, three certificates' cooperation in areas such as tourism and catering, engineering technology and nursing services in the following months," said Ye.

Ho Kai-ming, undersecretary of the Hong Kong Labor and Welfare Bureau, said that whether at the national, GBA or Hong Kong SAR level, talent is an important driving force for economic development.

The SAR government encourages more professional and technical talent exchange, Ho said.

"The signing of the agreement will help achieve mutual recognition and exchange of qualifications for more professions in the future and further promote talent mobility in the GBA and thus enhance the competitiveness of the entire GBA," said Ho.

Wong Chi-hong, director of the Macao Labor Affairs Bureau, said Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao would develop their respective advantages to meet the demand for skilled talent in the GBA's industrial development and conduct more advanced exams and expand more work types in different fields, including tourism, catering and personal services in the following years.