HK 2028 manpower shortage drops to 130,000

The government's latest projected manpower shortage by 2028 has dropped to 130,000, with sectors such as innovation, aviation and construction among the most affected.

This as the rapid development of AI has led to an excess of clerical workers in the city, with the phenomenon mostly likely going to impact job opportunities for this year's university graduates.

The Labour and Welfare Bureau's latest report on the mid-term update on manpower projection indicated a continuous drop in the number of workers as the city deals with its aging population.

Currently, around 26 percent of veteran technicians and 31 percent of unskilled workers are aged 60 or above, and are expected to retire in the near future. Taking into account additional overseas labourers, the city will still see a drop in the labour figure to 3.4 million.

Managers, professionals as well as workers in the service sector will require a yearly increase, with the government's latest projection showing a manpower shortage in such sectors reaching 53,000.

When categorised by industries, some of the most severe shortages could be seen in the innovation, aviation, construction, urban operations and medical sectors, with manpower shortages ranging from 8,000 to 40,000.

But owing to the rapid advancements of AI, Hong Kong will record an excess of 30,000 individuals involved in clerical work. This as the import and export as well as financial sectors will be considered fields most at risk.

Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare Ho Kai-ming believes the development of AI will only pick up pace, adding that different sectors will increase vigilance when selecting candidates for relevant positions.

He stressed students graduating this year and middle-aged clerical workers will be the most affected by this situation. Meanwhile, some academics addressed the rising figure of youth graduate unemployment saying that they will adjust the content of their courses to increase youth competitiveness.