Building new pathways for Hong Kong’s creative and digital talent
Facing a widening talent gap in Hong Kong's creative and tech industries, Professor Kara Chan 's research into age and creativity led to the creation of the CLAP-TECH Pathway. The pioneering education-to-employment initiative has since boosted student s' confidence in making informed career choices to 94% and earned recognition from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Key Impacts:
1,800+ students from more than 90 secondary schools successfully engaged in the pioneering education-to-employment pathway since its launch in 2019
94% of Multimedia Storytelling graduates rated themselves confident in making informed career decisions, compared with just 70% of peers outside the programme
6,100+ industry exposure opportunities created, including internships, bootcamps, company visits, and overseas study tours
40+ major employers and over 380 industry mentors actively collaborating to co-design courses and support alternative student pathways
Global recognition achieved with endorsement from a Hong Kong government task force, Task Force on Promotion of Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) and formal recognition by the OECD in its 2024 Education Working Papers as an innovative pathway model
In Hong Kong, students grow up hearing the same formula for success: good grades, high exam scores, a spot at a good university. It's a clear path—safe and familiar. But the real world does not follow such neat rules anymore.
That growing gap between school and work caught the attention of Professor Kara Chan and her research team at the School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) . They sought to understand how creative abilities are nurtured, how young people find their way, and where Hong Kong's creative industries are heading.
CLAP-TECH hosted a vibrant Networking Luncheon, bringing together industry partners, secondary school educators, students, and graduates to celebrate the programme’s inspiring outcomes.
Special guests included representatives from the Education Bureau and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.
That research went on to determine The Jockey Club Multiple Pathways Initiative - CLAP-TECH Pathway (CLAP-TECH), a pioneering “education-to-employment” initiative connecting secondary education, higher education, and industry learning in the fields of information and communication technology (ICT) and creative media.
Launched in 2019 with support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, CLAP-TECH brings together HKBU, secondary schools, and industry partners, connecting senior secondary education with post-secondary study. Built into Hong Kong’s mainstream curriculum, the programme is a rare combination of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Applied Learning courses, Higher Diploma Programmes, career mentorship, skill-based bootcamps, overseas trips, and workplace exposure.
Hong Kong faces a widening talent gap in ICT and creative industries as technology reshapes jobs. Employers increasingly want graduates with technical ability and workplace soft skills—capabilities not always built in secondary schooling
Professor Kara Chan
Professor Chan's 2022 research on creativity across generations shaped CLAP-TECH's core belief: young people need structure and exposure, not correction. When her team identified emerging hybrid roles like "Creative Technologists", they co-designed a new Multimedia Storytelling course with industry. Now, CLAP-TECH flips the old idea that vocational training is the "lesser" path—offering hands-on learning, career mentorships, and real workplace experience to students who may not fit the traditional academic mould.
A five-year evaluation report demonstrated that students participating in CLAP-TECH were far more confident and informed when making decisions about their futures compared to non-participating peers from the same schools. Among over 190 Secondary six graduates who completed the “Multimedia Storytelling” course, 94% rated themselves confident in making informed career decisions, compared to 66% of non-participants.
In the Tech Essentials course, 88% of more than 400 graduates expressed confidence in making informed career choices, compared to 70% of their non-participating peers. Beyond learning about creative and technology sectors directly from industry practitioners, students began discovering their own skills, interests, and aspirations.
For Professor Chan, this shift is best reflected in how students describe themselves after completing the programme. “One student told me the programme strengthened both technical abilities and soft skills—communication, teamwork, and adaptability—which he then applied during an internship and an overseas study tour, giving him the confidence to pursue further studies.”
The programme was also endorsed by partner schools and industry partners, including Adobe who noted that students demonstrated greater maturity, clearer career goals, and strong readiness for workplace challenges—equipped with both high-demand digital skills and essential soft skills.
Since its launch, the programme has attracted more than 1,800 students from more than 90 secondary schools, with support from over 40 major employers and more than 380 industry mentors. It has also created more than 6,100 industry exposure opportunities, from company visits and internships to bootcamps and overseas study tours. For Professor Chan, the partnership model is central to how research becomes practice. The model has since gained recognition beyond the programme itself.
CLAP-TECH organised study tours to Singapore o for secondary students. The tours combined company visits, themed workshops and city exploration to connect classroom learning with real-world applications
Moreover, a Hong Kong government task force, the Task Force on Promotion of Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET), called CLAP-TECH a successful pilot development in its 2020 review report. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) also highlighted CLAP-TECH as an exemplary model of innovative secondary education pathways in its Education Working Papers No. 320 published in 2024.
Looking ahead, Professor Chan hopes the programme can contribute to a broader shift in how vocational education and applied learning are perceived in Hong Kong. "We hope applied learning can run effectively alongside traditional academic routes," she says. "This will help cultivate talent for the ICT and creative industries, while providing young people with diverse pathways for further studies, employment, and entrepreneurship."
CLAP-TECH celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2024. The ceremony was attended by over 130 industry partners and representatives from participating secondary schools, who shared how the programme has inspired students to pursue their dreams and make informed decisions about further studies and career development
