About
JC YUP!
Background
Created and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, JC YUP supports youth through critical transitions of growth, from junior secondary to early career, by creating proud experiences, offering eye-opening real and alternative pathways, building up resilience to progress.
The JC YUP Professional Traineeship (PT) programme is supported by industry partners including Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management (HKIHRM) to broaden youth access to diverse career pathways beyond conventional academic routes for DSE graduates. The programme is a structured 2-year traineeship with work study mode including qualifications attainment, to prepare youth for future development and mobility whilst injecting right fit entry level talent into high-growth sectors with strong manpower needs, creating a win-win-win solution for society, employers and youth.
Co-Creating Values
Youth Development
QF-recognised credentials
Successful transition to work
360 coaching support ecosystem
More diverse career pathways
​Employer Benefits
Stable talent pipeline
Right fit talent-matching
Structured capacity building
Enhance corporate social image
Social Vision
Optimised talent structure
Fill sector talent gaps
Foster workplace inclusivity
Promote social mobility potential
Employer Eligibility &
Sector Priorities
The JC YUP Professional Traineeship is open to most private sector employers in Hong Kong. If you can offer genuine entry-level roles with meaningful on-the-job learning and well defined career paths, you qualify regardless of company size.
Priority is given to employers who could offer internship openings in the following areas:
01
Creative
Digital marketing assistant, graphic design trainee, content creator, video editing assistant
02
Technology
Junior technical support, helpdesk assistant, software testing trainee, IT operations assistant
03
Healthcare
Clinic assistant, patient services trainee, rehabilitation support, medical records clerk
04
Sports & Event Management
Event operations trainee, sports programme assistant, venue support, logistics coordinator
If your openings fall outside these four sectors, you may still be eligible, as roles are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Speak with your HKIHRM Relationship Manager, who will assess whether your role offers sufficient structured learning and supports the trainee's pathway to a QF-recognised qualification.
What You Need to Provide
To join the Professional Traineeship, employers must:
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Hold a valid Hong Kong business registration
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Provide a safe working environment
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Offer a paid traineeship at market rate for entry-level roles
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Assign a dedicated supervisor or mentor to the trainee
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Allow the trainee to attend study days (typically 1-2 days per week)
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Not use a JC YUP trainee to replace an existing employee
Who Is Not Eligible
Employers are not eligible to participate if:
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The trainee would be replacing an employee involved in a strike or lockout
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The role involves hazardous work that is prohibited for young persons under Hong Kong law
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The employer has previously breached the rules of YETP or any other government-funded training schemes
Trainee Profile
Targeted Youth and Work Study Arrangement
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Youth aged 18-29 who have completed the DSE curriculum
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Required to join a pre‑employment training bootcamp to build essential workplace attitudes, communication and interpersonal skills
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During the traineeship, participants will receive on‑the‑job training that covers practical digital tool application, strengthens communication, teamwork, problem‑solving and workplace adaptability, as well as role‑specific technical skills tailored to the four focus sectors
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Trainees are not volunteers or interns – they are paid employees covered by the Employment Ordinance and YETP framework.
CV360 / VASK:
A Better Way To Assess Talent
Most employers screen candidates based on academic qualifications – DSE scores, degrees, and certificates. But for entry-level roles, grades alone do not predict success. Attitude, values, and soft skills often matter more.
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JC YUP! uses a different approach – CV360 and the VASK framework.
What is VASK?
Unlike traditional CVs that focus almost exclusively on Knowledge (and sometimes Skills), VASK places equal weight on Values and Attitudes – which research shows are the strongest predictors of workplace success, especially for entry-level roles.
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​​VASK serves as the programme’s core talent identification and matching framework, representing Values, Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge. It shifts away from traditional hiring practices that prioritise academic qualifications, enabling employers to assess young people’s potential from multiple dimensions for more effective talent matching. By using VASK to redefine job descriptions, employers can focus on candidates who demonstrate the right values and a growth mindset, resulting in more precise talent-to-role alignment.
V
Values
Does the trainee show respect, integrity, and a strong work ethic?
A
Attitudes
Is the trainee punctual, resilient, coachable, and willing to learn?
S
Skills
Does the trainee have basic communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities?
K
Knowledge
What technical or industry knowledge does the trainee already have?
What is CV360?
CV360® is a comprehensive, holistic profiling tool that goes beyond the standard CV format. It gives an all-round view of personal capabilities, showcasing young people’s VASK developed through a wide range of life, learning, paid and unpaid experiences. Instead of focusing only on academic qualifications, CV360® highlights the unique strengths and empowers youth who are still exploring their pathways to better understand and express themselves, while giving employers a more comprehensive view for better-informed and more meaningful talent matching.
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CV360® was developed with the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) and is officially endorsed for use within the JC YUP programme. Instead of just listing academic background and examination results, a CV360® includes:
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Values and Attitudes demonstrated, for example: volunteering experience, family caregiving responsibilities, and persistence shown through part-time work
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Skills developed, for example: customer service, teamwork, and basic digital literacy
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Knowledge acquired, for example: industry-relevant courses completed and foundational understanding of a specific field
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Personal story: who the candidate is, and the experiences that shaped them
Why This Matters for Employers
With JC YUP, you do not just get a CV. You get a complete picture of the trainee: their values, their attitude, their potential. That is a far more reliable predictor of success than any examination results.
Traditional CV
Focuses on academic grades
Tells you what the candidate studied
Hard to predict workplace success
Screens out motivated candidates with poor grades
HR Manager, participating employer
CV360® / VASK
Focuses on attitude, values, and potential
Tells you who the candidate is
Proven to predict engagement and retention
Identifies motivated candidates who will value your opportunity
"
We used to screen based on DSE results. We missed a lot of good people. CV360® helps us see the whole person, including whether they will show up on time and take feedback.
"
WHY JC YUP!
Co-Creating Values
Youth Development
QF-recognised credentials
Successful transition to work
360 coaching support ecosystem
More diverse career pathways
​Employer Benefits
Stable talent pipeline
Right fit talent-matching
Structured capacity building
Enhance corporate social image
Social Vision
Optimised talent structure
Fill sector talent gaps
Foster workplace inclusivity
Promote social mobility potential
For most employers in Hong Kong, building a reliable pipeline of entry-level talent is one of the most persistent concerns.
Entry-level turnover is high. Motivated, work-ready young talent is hard to find, and ESG commitments around youth employment are increasingly difficult to fulfil in a meaningful way.
These are not new challenges, but JC YUP offers a new solution.
By connecting employers with pre-screened, trained, and supported young trainees, JC YUP reduces the time and cost of building entry-level talent from scratch. You gain employees who arrive with the right attitude, are coached before their first day, and are backed by ongoing support throughout their placement, without creating additional work for your HR team.
For organisations with ESG goals, JC YUP goes beyond compliance. It is a structured, credible pathway to social mobility that delivers impact you can measure and a story worth telling.
A stronger talent pipeline. A more resilient workforce. A tangible contribution to Hong Kong's next generation. That is what JC YUP delivers.
​Programme Highlights
​The JC YUP Professional Traineeship (PT) provides in-depth career support with qualifications attainment, strengthening participating organisations' training capacities, establishing clear professional blueprints for trainees, and co-creating a stable talent pipeline for employers.
​Comprehensive Onboarding Training
3-tier structured coaching with employer, NGO and peer helps cultivate youth’s growth mindset, resilience and enhances workplace readiness for greater contributions and retention
Strength-Based Job Matching
CV360® and VASK (Values, Attitudes, Skills, Knowledge) as core talent matching, helping employers to identify better-fit candidates
Accreditation Through Workplace Training
Enable youth’s flexible and non-linear articulation routes into high demand and growth industries
Exclusive Bootcamp and Career Booster Trip Outside of Hong Kong
Bridge soft skills for better school to work transition, provide networking opportunities and industry exposure
Employer Advocacy Network
Partner with corporations to promote CV360® adoption, elevating industry talent assessment standards