The two-day Career Expo 2023, held on the second floor of the Galaxy International Convention Centre (GICC), concluded yesterday evening with more than 2,000 visits, the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) said in a statement.
Themed “Youth Employment Starts Now”, the annual event was hosted by the bureau, organised by the Macau New Chinese Youth Association (MNCYA) and supported by the General Association of Chinese Students of Macao and the Macau Youth Development Service Centre, offered over 1,700 job vacancies across 14 different sectors, along with a series of career-related activities such as recruitment talks and interview simulation workshops.
According to the DSAL statement, this year’s career expo was participated by about 60 companies and organisations, covering a wide range of industries such as information technology (IT), finance, engineering, healthcare & social services, tourism, and commerce. Among them, 13 enterprises were from mainland China, specifically the Guangdong-Macau In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. The statement added that the event aimed to accelerate the hiring process for employers and provide more flexibility for applicants.
Addressing the opening ceremony on Wednesday, DSAL Acting Director Chan Un Tong said that the bureau would continue to provide career support to local youths in order for them to be better integrated into the job market. According to Chan, Macau’s economy is gradually recovering and improving, but its diversification still relies heavily on youths’ willingness to innovate. Speaking on that matter, he urged all young locals to use the career fair as an opportunity to connect with professionals and develop their networking skills crucial for staying competitive in today’s job market.
According to an MNCYA statement, the expo’s career-related activities such as career preparation seminars, mock interview workshops and resume-writing workshops attracted a lot of participants, mostly university and high school students.
A Form 6 school student told The Macau Post Daily that she went to the event with the hope of exploring her career path options and acquiring relevant job searching skills. She added that she had participated in a one-to-one consultation on professional planning which was “informative” and provided her with a better idea of which university subject to choose.
A participant surnamed Cheong, a local fourth-year undergraduate computer science student, told The Macau Post Daily that he was “fairly confident” about his career prospects. He said that by talking to representatives of the companies during the event, he was able to gain genuine business and industry insights, allowing him to develop a better awareness of workplace culture.
Another job seeker, surnamed Wong, who is still unemployed after graduating from university two years ago, said she hoped to find a job as an office clerk through this career fair. She added that it had been very difficult to find a job during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think this year the employment situation has improved a lot, but the salary is still lower than expected and competition is fierce even for a junior-level position,” she added, expressing her anxiety about securing her ideal job.
Attendees participate in a career preparation workshop during the Youth Career Expo 23 on the second floor of the Galaxy International Convention Centre (GICC) in Cotai yesterday. – Photo: MNCYA
