ABOUT 170 experts representing education and trade, as well as government departments, will be present at the fourth Education and Careers Expo to give young people first-hand information and advice on jobs and careers. The expo, jointly organised by the Labour Department and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, will be held from Thursday to Sunday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Over 60 seminars are included in the four-day show, as well as 130 videos on new study programmes and a wide spectrum of careers ranging from secretarial work to interior design and airlines. The expo, which will be officially opened by Governor Chris Patten, is expected to attract about 180,000 visitors. The four major areas to be covered in the exhibition are local education, overseas education, careers and educational supplies. Among the exhibitors, 96 will represent educational institutes. Of this number, 65 will be from overseas. They will provide information on local post-secondary colleges, universities, polytechnics, language and distance learning, and adult education. Visitors will also be introduced to professional training schools in beauty and cosmetics, computers, catering, fashion design, hair styling, modelling, hotel management, music and nursing. Other areas to be covered will include degree programmes in Hong Kong, further studies overseas, academic programmes leading to professional qualifications and language courses. Students who want to study overseas can talk to representatives of educational institutes from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Switzerland and Japan. School-leavers seeking job advice can talk to professionals from a variety of fields, such as the hotel industry, banking, tourism and accountancy. Entry requirements and promotional prospects will also be covered. Various government departments, professional bodies and private companies will be giving information on job opportunities in Hong Kong. To coincide with the expo, the Labour Department has organised a career quiz competition for students. The biennial British Education Exhibition, organised by the British Council, will also be held with the expo (see page 5). Representatives of educational institutions from Britain will hand out pamphlets or kits about their undergraduate or post-graduate programmes.
