Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT), a member institution of the Vocational Training Council (VTC), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Hong Kong Association for Computer Education (HKACE) on 15 June 2024 to jointly promote IT talent development and provide professional development opportunities for secondary school teachers and students, thereby fostering the innovation and technology development in Hong Kong. Witnessed by Prof. Wong Kam Fai, Honorary Chairman of HKACE and Ir. Dr. Eric Liu, Deputy Executive Director of VTC, the MoU was signed by Principal Chu Kam-tim, Chairman of HKACE and Dr. John Hui, Principal of HKIIT. Through this collaboration, HKIIT and HKACE will leverage their resources and expertise to deliver specialised workshops designed to enhance technical skills and knowledge of secondary school teachers and students, promoting Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET), enhancing students' interest in IT, nurturing more outstanding IT talents in Hong Kong, and further driving the innovation and technology (I&T) development. HKACE will provide professional advice to HKIIT, enabling them to tailor upskilling and reskilling workshops for secondary school teachers and technicians through HKIIT’s "SkillsUP" in-service training service, ensuring continuous professional development for jobs in demand. HKIIT will also offer taster programmes for secondary school students to deepen their understanding of the IT industry and ignite their interest in field of IT. HKACE will offer necessary support including promotion and coordination with secondary schools, and provide recommendations for talented secondary students who have participated in the taster programmes, recommending their admission to HKIIT programmes. This collaboration aims to facilitate a smooth transition for students interested in pursuing further education in IT. HKIIT and HKACE will also organise joint competitions and activities to engage students and cultivate their interest in IT. These events will provide students with opportunities to showcase their IT skills, creativity and innovation. With the partnership with HKACE, HKIIT aims to equip secondary school teachers, technicians and students with the latest knowledge and development trends in the IT field, creating broader development opportunities for them, while at the same time promoting IT talent development and injecting new impetus into Hong Kong I&T development.

We are honoured to have Dr. CHOI Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education, as our Guest of Honour at today’s HKIIT Launch Ceremony. Grateful to all industry leaders present for witnessing our official announcement to academia, industry, and the public. Particularly, special thanks to Mr Raymond CHENG, Denis Yip 葉成輝, Dr. Winnie Tang (鄧淑明博士), Steve Ng, Teresa Lau and Mr Dennis KWAN who shared their valuable insights at the panel discussion session themed “Cultivate the Future of IT: Means to Foster Tomorrow’s IT Talents”. In addition, the exhibition of over 30 innovative graduation projects showcased IT students’ outstanding achievements and contributions to the field of IT. Our multimedia performance show, prepared by students and teachers of Higher Diploma in Theme Park and Theatre Creative Technology and Higher Diploma in Games and Animation also demonstrated their expertise, creativity, and professional skills. Their knowledge and innovative approach brought an unforgettable touch to today's ceremony!

Date: 13 - 14 June 2024

We are delighted to share that #HKIIT has become an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Training Partner in Hong Kong. The announcement was witnessed by Ir. Dr. John Hui, Principal of the HKIIT, and Mr. Chris So, Director of Business Development for AWS Hong Kong and Macau. It aims to provide training in advanced digital skills such as cloud computing and the latest Generative AI, to foster a rich cloud and digital talent pool for Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, and promote vocational education. HKIIT also promotes the "Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme (#VPAS)," an initiative by the HKSAR Government to support Vocational and Professional Education and Training (#VPET). Under the scheme, HKIIT plans to cultivate hundreds of students with AWS cloud certification or a corresponding technical level through its full time Higher Diploma in Cloud and Data Centre Administration. Non-local students who enroll for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years will be eligible to apply for employment in Hong Kong upon graduation, addressing the shortage of technology talents. HKIIT has also established an in-service training service named "#SkillsUp" to offer reskilling and upskilling programmes for industry practitioners, corporate professionals, and the workforce. It launches a "Professional Certificate in Cloud Computing" recognized at Level 4 of the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework, with content including two AWS official training courses. This professional certificate has been included in the #Vplus Creative Industries subsidy scheme, where successful applicants can be reimbursed up to 60% of the tuition fees. AWS gives HKIIT students access to hundreds of AWS cloud education courses, covering topics like big data, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and fintech, to enhance students' cloud digital competitiveness. Over the next three years, thousands of HKIIT students will be able to use the AWS Academy and AWS Educate to self-learn and obtain completion certificates. Becoming an AWS training partner will further assist HKIIT in promoting vocational education in information technology and provide students with the opportunity to develop comprehensive skills needed in the rapidly changing industry, highlighting the commitment to nurturing vocational talents and promoting the development of the Greater Bay Area's technology industry.

Lenovo and HKIIT have collaboratively designed a cutting-edge curriculum encompassing AI and Cloud computing. Recently, on May 21st, 30 staff from LPS, Lenovo's technology service arm, attended this in-service training programme through HKIIT’s SkillsUP service. Apart from in-service training collaboration, HKIIT invited Lenovo experts to deliver a specialised training on the development trends of AI technology for around 80 students. The knowledge shared by Lenovo experts not only broadened students’ understanding of AI but also provided them with real-world insights that can be applied in various fields.

HKIIT will continue to actively pursue Industry-Institute Collaboration, fostering a dynamic environment where students and IT practitioners can engage with experts and stay abreast of the latest developments in technology.

The 2nd Trade-specific Information Session on Innovation and Technology for the Vocational Professionals Admission Scheme (VPAS) promotion was successfully held on 6 April in Shenzhen. We were honoured to have industry leaders from leading companies including ICBC (Asia), H3C, and ASL to share with us their valuable insights on career prospects and job opportunities in the IT sector. We also appreciated the support of the 150 parents, students, and teachers who attended the event in person, as well as the over 200 online participants. Their enthusiastic response and keen interest in our Higher Diploma Programmes under the VPAS were truly impressive. Today’s information session provided a valuable information exchange platform for mainland students interested in pursuing studies and employment in Hong Kong. In addition to offering industry insights and sharing career experiences, the session highlighted the latest skill requirements for IT professionals. HKIIT looks forward to nurturing our non-local students who enroll in our 10 designated Higher Diploma programmes under the VPAS, helping them to stay and work in Hong Kong. With the support from the Government and our industry partners, we hope to contribute to bridging the manpower gap for technicians and professional talents in the IT sector and empowering Hong Kong’s workforce.