Adrian Cheng: Creating jobs will give new impetus to the Hong Kong Economy

HONG KONG, March 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The world is reeling from over a year of restrictions, business closures and job losses thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, but how many markets are seeing such a major response from the private sector as Hong Kong has today. New World Development put on a Job Fair which they entitled "Create Jobs • Spark Hope" where they offered nearly 1,000 new positions across a wide range of their subsidiaries. Its CEO, Adrian Cheng, hopes it will inspire other corporations in Hong Kong to follow suit and get Hong Kong’s economy to thrive once again.

The Job Fair has received an overwhelming response. More than 10,000 people have registered, with around 30% stating that they are currently in between jobs, an indication of the weak economic environment in Hong Kong. Reflecting the trend for the new economy sectors, applicants have shown most interest in jobs related to tourism, customer service and digital marketing. The newly created roles that cater for the new economy, such as customer service roles requiring "social media savvy photographic skills" and travel development strategists, are expected to attract more applications. The Group expects the new hires from the Job Fair to start work as early as next month.

Adrian Cheng, Executive Vice-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NWD, said, "The overwhelming response indicates that the Hong Kong economy requires new energy. We believe that the pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities, and we hope that the new jobs we have created will help drive the post-pandemic recovery. We strongly believe in the future of the Hong Kong economy as long as we can accelerate its transformation."

Around 30% of job seekers are currently in between jobs; most are attracted to newly created jobs

The COVID-19 outbreak has hit a number of industries in Hong Kong, causing the unemployment rate to hit a 17-year high. According to data gathered from the Job Fair, nearly 27% of applicants are currently unemployed. The top five most popular job categories in order of preference are: "Customer Service and Relationship Management", "Administration/Human Resources", "Culture", "Digital Marketing/Marketing" and "Tourism". Most of these jobs feature a high level of novelty and were created especially for the Job Fair.

For instance, K11 Customer Service Excellence Representatives under the category of "Customer Service and Relationship Management" are different from traditional customer service representatives. With social media becoming part of consumers’ daily lives, K11 Customer Service Excellence Representatives will explore the trendiest and most Instragrammable hotspots for customers and tenants to take stunning photos, while providing promotion opportunities for our tenants. In terms of tourism, the role of an 11 SKIES Travel Development Strategist has been created to support the development of 11 SKIES, which is destined to become a one-stop landmark destination, combining retail, dining and entertainment, providing much-needed job opportunities in the tourism sector, which has been badly affected by lay-offs during the pandemic. At the same time, it will provide a unique, tailor-made travel experience for local residents and tourists.

Jenny Chiu, New World Development Executive Director and Senior Director – Human Resources, said, "This Job Fair provides hope to job seekers and gives us the chance to bring on board more talent. We hope that by creating these positions, we can leverage a new work force to foster the development of both the Group and the city in what we see as the new normal environment."

New World Development and more than 10 of its subsidiaries are offering nearly 1,000 job opportunities; online applications are also welcome

In view of the ongoing pandemic, to avoid large gatherings at the venue, the Job Fair has limited the number of job seekers who can participate onsite to 2,000, and there will be no interview sessions at the Fair. Other job seekers can submit their applications online and receive information from the website from 9am 14^th March to 5pm 31^st March. Whether the application is submitted onsite or online, interviews will be arranged for suitable candidates in due course.

The "Create Jobs •  Spark Hope" Job Fair offers nearly 1,000 jobs at New World Development and at least 10 of its subsidiaries, including New World Property Management, K11 Group, NWS Holdings, Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy, Hip Seng Group of Companies and Hip Hing Construction.

Each participating company will set up a booth introducing various positions that have been created based on demand from the current employment market, such as Digital Media Strategists, Engineers, Human Resources Specialists and Property Management Specialists. In addition, in light of the post-pandemic new normal and the new economy trends, the Group is offering nine featured jobs, including Marketing (mask marketers and product developers), State Theatre Conservation Ambassadors, Children’s Program Specialists, Athletic Program Specialists and Entrepreneur Trainees.

Enquiries can be emailed to jobfair@nwd.com.hk. The deadline for registration is 5pm on March 31.

Top sectors that applicants are interested in

1. Customer Service and Relationship Management
2. Administration / Human Resources
3. Cultural
4. Digital Marketing / Marketing
5. Tourism

Current employment situation of applicants