A fortnightly column introducing key trainee programmes
Hong Kong provides plenty of opportunities for university graduates who want to develop a career in professional services with a global outlook as all the major international accounting and auditing firms operate sizeable offices in the city. One of them is KPMG.
'The company's training and developmental programmes are designed to take its staff through a progression up to senior management or partnership levels,' said Ian O'Brien, partner in charge, human resources, China and Hong Kong of KPMG Huazhen in Beijing.
Out of 30,000 applications, KPMG recruits more than 2,000 graduates from universities in Greater China a year, including about 300 from Hong Kong. In their first two to three years, staff learn about the operation of several industries by attending industry-focused training courses and working for different dedicated teams.
'When they have more experience, they will start to specialise in a particular industry,' said Mr O'Brien. 'It's important that people get the experience first and then discover where their interest is and what they are good at before they decide what to specialise in.'
Once professionals at KPMG become specialists, they then receive specific training based on the business of their clients. 'If you're a financial sector person, you'll do a lot of banking, insurance and securities training,' Mr O'Brien said.
Apart from the industry-focused training, staff will receive sets of progressive technical and skills training that continues throughout their careers.