“Strive and Rise Programme x DeloitteLand”: Empowering Youth for Future Careers and Unlocking Their Potential

Deloitte China hosted the “Strive and Rise Programme x DeloitteLand” event at its Admiralty office, bringing a unique and immersive career experience to about 200 mentees and mentors. Through interactive workshops and panel discussions, these young people explored trending topics including artificial intelligence (AI) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, while experiencing the professional workplace environment at first-hand.

The Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government, Chan Kwok-ki, attended the opening ceremony, alongside Deloitte China Senior Advisor and Member of the Executive Council of the HKSAR Government Eliza Chan, and Deloitte China Southern Region Managing Partner and Deloitte Foundation Hong Kong Secretary-General Edward Au. 

The HKSAR Government launched the Strive and Rise Programme in 2022 to help underprivileged junior secondary students, particularly those living in subdivided units, to broaden their horizons, set positive life goals and explore personal development opportunities through training sessions, mentorship programs, group visits and social activities. As a member of the Strive and Rise Programme Partners’ Board, Deloitte Foundation Hong Kong has for two consecutive years dedicated substantial resources to the important cause of supporting the development of Hong Kong’s next generation of talent through funding, mentorship, and training activities.

Chan Kwok-ki says, “One of Hong Kong’s strengths is our professional services industry, where Deloitte plays a leading role. I am grateful to Deloitte China for its strong support of the Strive and Rise Programme, by serving as a member of the Partners’ Board, making generous donations to the first and second rounds of the Programme and for nominating more than 100 mentors to support our mentees, helping them broaden their horizons, enhance their self-confidence and build a positive outlook on life. Deloitte thoughtfully curated today’s agenda, including the introduction of its businesses and discussions on hot topics like AI and ESG, DeloitteLand-themed games, office tours and interactive sessions for our mentees to learn about different job skills and immerse themselves in the workplace environment, making it a rich and instructive event.”

Edward Au adds, “Talent development is essential to Hong Kong’s future growth and a key aspect of Deloitte’s HKD1 billion INspire HK initiative. The Deloitte Foundation Hong Kong contributed HKD3 million to support the Strive and Rise Programme and nominated more than 100 professionals as mentors to over 130 mentees, who have participated in over 700 hours of group activities so far.

“We are grateful to the HKSAR Government and social welfare organisations for organising a diverse array of group activities for mentors and mentees, creating a profound impact on all Strive and Rise Programme participants and inspiring our mentors to embrace a more open mindset. The Chief Executive recently announced the launch of the third cohort of the Programme in his Policy Address. We remain committed to fully supporting the Strive and Rise Programme and continuing to champion youth development for our city by contributing our resources, expertise and network.”

With the wave of AI transformation sweeping across various industries, the mentees showed a keen interest in the AI workshops, where they explored the capabilities and limitations of the technology by experiencing D.ChatGen, the Deloitte China-developed generative AI product. This practical session equipped the mentees with the knowledge to effectively use AI tools and offered a glimpse into the different scenarios that will soon be empowered by AI.

In addition to the AI workshops, the event also featured ESG sharing sessions to help mentees understand this emerging sector’s impact on society. There were also discussions and interactive games led by Deloitte professionals to encourage mentees to identify their career aspirations, and office tours for them to experience the work environment of professional services.

Deloitte is committed to social responsibility by contributing professional expertise and collaborating with clients, talent and society to engage in various initiatives for the public good. To realise the vision of its WorldClass initiative to positively impact 15 million people in China by 2030, Deloitte works closely with communities in rolling out multiple programs that support young people in education, skills and opportunities.

Over the past 15 years, the Deloitte “Pass The Torch” student mentorship program has provided over 400 underprivileged secondary students with mentoring opportunities, helping them build confidence, broaden their worldviews and realise future possibilities. Deloitte in Hong Kong has also been recognised as a “Caring Company” for 21 consecutive years for its contributions to caring for the community, employees and the environment.