香港科技人才發展失衡 有危有機
Imbalanced Development of Technology Talent in Hong Kong: A Mix of Perils and Opportunities
2022年12月15日 明報
本地科技人才發展過去十年因為港府一直未能意識到全球經濟發展已從傳統金融業務轉移到以創科行業帶動。按中央的最新發展綱領，創科更是提供國家的核心競爭力的重要元素。亡羊補牢的香港目前正努力把人才發展能對上社會需求。奈何港府就只有靠大灑金錢的表層解決方案。所謂十年樹木百年樹人，目前根本沒有把創科人才馬上「製造」出來的神奇妙法。
要到外地搶人才的原因之一 是教育政策落後導致
創科局孫東局長在剛上任時提出的願景裏，我們不難找到香港在疫情及中美貿易摩擦出現前一直只對傳統產業傾斜的有力證據。他提出的把科技研發和整體GDP的比重由以前一直低於1%提高至1.5%。但這新目標其實只能達到深圳、新加坡甚至一些發展中國家的50%水平。縱使香港回歸祖國後的25年間經濟發展一直強勁。我們卻沒有未雨綢繆，嚴重忽略了數字經濟及創科發展需要相關人才參與的重要性。敢問一句，香港中學的IT科什麼時候才能像全球其他先進城市一樣被納入必修科目？大家忍心優良的種子在這個長期缺乏陽光、空氣及水分的土地上未成長就已經變成畸形的幼苗嗎？
推動大灣區IT人才學歷互認目前難以解決的主要問題有四個：
一、改變傳統教育的內容及師資需要頗長時間；
二、傳統IT教育內容更新趕不上元宇宙、Web3、數字資產及央行數字貨幣的發展速度；
三、香港目前沒有培養頂尖創科人才的生態圈；
四、跨國企業選擇撤離香港及政治局勢不明引致人才流失日趨嚴重。
單靠香港一己之力去擺脫以上四個同時出現的困境，不但在多方面要投入大量人力物力，更需花上頗長時間。所謂治亂世需用重典。為今之計，我們必須利用這個難得機會，加快大灣區人才流通及學歷互認機制。創科人才的能力評核本來就不能單靠傳統學歷去反映。
利用區塊鏈及Web3技術 改變傳統審核能力的方式
大灣區內的幾個大城市如香港、深圳、廣州甚至澳門等目前必須盡快利用區塊鏈、物聯網及人工智能等技術，以非傳統方式，為有意投入創科行業人員的學習情況以區塊鏈技術記錄、分析及打造一套利用大數據技術及針對企業需求的技術水平評核解決方案，好讓內地的人才能按更科學及更透明的機制以專才身分盡快加入香港的人力市場。與其單靠傳統模式苦等本地有足夠的良才的出現，不如參考美國谷歌那套不重點招聘傳統大學畢業生，而選擇依賴為自己度身訂製的一套人才培養機制的解決方案。說不定，這個非傳統的考核機制未來更會被傳統大學及企業所認可！
陳家豪
雲端與流動運算專業人士協會會長
香港數字金融協會聯席會長
智慧城市聯盟金融科技委員會主席
香港新興科技教育協會副會長 香港城市大學EMBA特約教授
The local development of technology talent in Hong Kong has been imbalanced over the past decade because the Hong Kong government has failed to recognize the shift of global economic development from traditional financial industries to the innovation and technology sector. According to the latest development outline from the central government, innovation and technology play a crucial role in enhancing a country’s core competitiveness. Hong Kong, in its belated efforts to align talent development with societal needs, has resorted to superficial solutions relying solely on financial investments. However, there is no miraculous method to immediately "produce" technology talent as it takes time to nurture and develop such individuals.
One of the reasons for seeking talent from outside Hong Kong is the outdated education policies. In the vision presented by Mr. Sun Dong, the Chief of the Innovation and Technology Bureau, it is evident that Hong Kong had been heavily inclined towards traditional industries before the outbreak of the pandemic and the trade tensions between the US and China. He proposed increasing the proportion of technology research and development to overall GDP from the previous level below 1% to 1.5%. However, this new target is only at the level of 50% compared to Shenzhen, Singapore, and even some developing countries. Despite Hong Kong's strong economic development since its return to China 25 years ago, we have neglected the importance of digital economy and the involvement of relevant talent in the development of innovation and technology. When will IT subjects in Hong Kong secondary schools be included as compulsory courses like in other advanced cities worldwide? Can we bear to see promising seeds turn into stunted seedlings in this land that has long lacked sunlight, air, and water?
There are four main challenges in promoting mutual recognition of IT talent qualifications in the Greater Bay Area:
1. Changing the content and faculty of traditional education takes time.
2. The traditional IT education curriculum cannot keep up with the development pace of the metaverse, Web3, digital assets, and central bank digital currencies.
3. Hong Kong currently lacks an ecosystem for nurturing top-notch innovation and technology talent.
4. The withdrawal of multinational corporations from Hong Kong and the uncertain political situation have led to an increasingly severe loss of talent.
Overcoming these simultaneous challenges solely with Hong Kong's efforts would require substantial resources and a considerable amount of time. The saying goes, "Drastic times call for drastic measures." As a current solution, we must seize this rare opportunity to accelerate talent circulation and qualification recognition mechanisms within the Greater Bay Area. The assessment of innovation and technology talent cannot solely rely on traditional qualifications.
Utilizing blockchain and Web3 technologies to transform traditional assessment capabilities
Cities within the Greater Bay Area, such as Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and even Macau, should swiftly leverage technologies like blockchain, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence to record, analyze, and create a set of technical competency assessment solutions using big data technology and tailored to the needs of enterprises. This will enable mainland talents to join Hong Kong’s labor market in specialized roles through a more scientific and transparent mechanism. Instead of waiting for sufficient local talent to emerge solely through traditional models, we should consider adopting a solution that relies on a customized talent development mechanism, similar to how Google in the United States does not solely recruit graduates from traditional universities. Perhaps this non-traditional assessment mechanism will gain recognition from both traditional universities and enterprises in the future!
Emil Chan
Chairman, Cloud and Mobile Computing Professional Association
Co-Chair, Hong Kong Digital Finance Association
Chairman, Fintech Committee, Smart City Consortium
Vice President, Hong Kong Emerging Technology Education Association
Adjunct Professor, EMBA Program, City University of Hong Kong
愚公在明報專欄「虛則實資」發表的首篇評論文章。原文: https://finance.mingpao.com/fin/daily/20221215/1671010317426/%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E7%A7%91%E6%8A%80%E4%BA%BA%E6%89%8D%E7%99%BC%E5%B1%95%E5%A4%B1%E8%A1%A1-%E6%9C%89%E5%8D%B1%E6%9C%89%E6%A9%9F
