Semi-professional career trajectories for DSE graduates based on Values, Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge

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Recent years have seen young people in Hong Kong increasingly seek out diverse career options. However, many employers still focus primarily on applicants’ academic qualifications in their recruitment processes. If tertiary study is not part of your plan after completing your Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE), what are your potential career options? Kamkam and Anita’s traineeship experiences in JC PROcruit C offer a glimpse of the alternatives.

Kamkam: uncovering his passion for a caring profession

Kamkam knew traditional classroom learning wasn’t for him. After completing his DSE, he explored various vocational training programmes, ranging from theatre management to sales, but nothing resonated. “I’ve volunteered since Form 4, but thought a caring profession was out of reach without a degree until I encountered the JC PROcruit C programme,” he shares. “It’s a programme that welcomes DSE graduates like me and provides various entry-level job opportunities, allowing me to explore newly designed job roles in the healthcare sector.”

JC PROcruit C, a one-year traineeship programme created and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, connects first-time-job-seekers with forward-looking employers, placing  emphasis on Values, Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge (VASK) rather than academic qualifications and work experience in the recruitment process. This strength-based approach allowed Kamkam’s compassion and interpersonal skills from volunteering to shine through. “We were particularly impressed by how Kamkam demonstrated these capabilities during interview,” says supervisor Ivy Kong. 

Kamkam landed a role as a Wellness Assistant at a local integrated social service centre, where his duties included supporting social workers and other professionals in planning and implementing therapeutic activities. After completing a year’s traineeship with support from his supervisor and co-workers, he has become a confident and talented young professional passionate about providing high-quality care to the elderly.

Anita: finding a career path to social work

Diploma Yi Jin graduate Anita is passionate about social services and came to realise her values and attitudes were better suited to elderly services. This led her to a traineeship position as a Community Care Practitioner at a local centre for the elderly, where she gained invaluable experience applying reminiscence therapy techniques that she had learned during elderly group training. “She went from a nervous new joiner to a confident team member who could handle enquiries from elderly people with dementia,” says her supervisor, Joanna Yu. The traineeship under JC PROcruit C offers practical experience, pre-employment bootcamp training, continuous learning opportunities and professional coaching to build up trainees’ work readiness. Anita has since secured a dream offer to study for a higher diploma in social work. She aims to become a licensed social worker and to continue serving people in need in Hong Kong’s community.

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