HONG KONG designers are always in demand because of their creativity and almost instinctive sense for fashion trends, according to Pauline Ngan, deputy chairperson and managing director of Hong Kong-listed hat manufacturer Mainland Headwear.
As a world leader in headwear production, the company's workforce of 3,000 in Shenzhen produces annually more than 30million baseball caps, bucket hats, knitted hats, headbands and sun visors. The company supplies more than 5,000 different designs for well-known brands such as Warner Brothers, Timberland, Reebok, and many of the top teams in the North American baseball, basketball and ice hockey leagues.
To boost operational capacity and keep up to date with best management practices, the company is in the process of hiring additional staff.
In particular, it is looking for a production controller, designer, design manager and a human resources manager. All these positions are based in Shenzhen.
Ms Ngan preferred to employ Hong Kong people for senior management and designer positions because they were generally hardworking, responsible and had a practical attitude towards work.
'Compared with mainlanders, Hong Kong staff are more loyal and they have a step-by-step approach to their jobs,' she said. 'It may still be quite difficult to find suitable mainland candidates with these qualities even in the next eight or 10 years.'