Chan Wing-cheung set his sights on a career in the building trade after missing his goal of being a professional footballer.
Chan, who turns 22 tomorrow, was a talented member of YCH Tung Chi Ying Memorial Secondary School's football team, helping the Ma On Shan school to win two Jing Ying Tournament titles.
The 1.85m-tall left winger was also a regular member of Rangers reserves in the First Division and played in the elite youth league from 2008-2010.
He was delighted when Hong Kong's reigning champions, South China, told him they wanted to sign him during the 2009-10 season.
But the transfer was halted because of a rule that prevents teenagers aged 18 or under who have played in the elite youth league from changing clubs before becoming adults. 'At that time, South China were expanding their squad because they were playing in the Asian Football Confederation Cup that season. I knew it was my one and only chance to become a full-time footballer,' Chan says. 'I was so frustrated that this obscure rule would stop me realising my dream.'
The next season he joined Second Division side Sha Tin and weighed up his career options. 'I had a very long chat with my father last year,' Chan says. 'He gave me great, impartial advice. I decided I needed to learn a profession and picked a three-month training course run by the Construction Industry Training Board. I thought it was a good idea. It offered daily subsidies and taught me a skill.'
