16/09/2026
The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) welcomes the “First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the HKSAR (2026 - 2030)” (Five-Year Plan) and the Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address delivered today (16 September 2026). The Five-Year Plan sets out the strategic direction and development blueprint for Hong Kong over the next five years, including strengthening continuing vocational skills training to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of our workforce; enhancing the depth and breadth of local continuing vocational skills training, and seeking capacity expansion and quality enhancement in light of future trends in the application of skills and I&T, with a view to developing a high-quality, progressively-paced, and personalised skill-based training system for local workers. The Employees Retraining Board will be upgraded and become the “Upskill Hong Kong”, which will foster closer communication and stronger ties with enterprises, thus facilitating its timely apprehension of and response to prevailing and future trends in skills demand and manpower requirements of various sectors amid social developments, providing multi-level opportunities of upskilling and continuous education through diversified channels for the entire workforce.
ERB will implement the initiatives set out in the Policy Address in full force, including launching an AI upskilling campaign and publishing the first phase of a skill-based training framework to guide training bodies in developing corresponding courses and build skills’ learning pathways. In addition, we will work closely with the Government to begin a review of the Continuing Education Fund within the first year after Upskill Hong Kong’s establishment to consolidate local training resources and increase efficiency, in support of advancing the local talent pool and industrial capabilities.
Responding to the accelerating trend of AI-driven industrial transformation, ERB will scale up the provision of AI training to benefit the workforce across diverse levels and backgrounds. Upskill Hong Kong, upon its upgrade, will launch an 18-month AI upskilling campaign in the first half of 2027, including a free online training course for all with a focus on the workplace application of AI. The AI application online course will cover foundation knowledge, general applications, safe and responsible use of AI in the workplace, and will be designed in a modular bite-sized manner to offer greater flexibility in trainees’ self-directed learning. Upon completion of the online course, eligible learners may enrol for free in short-term, advanced AI application courses across various industries to suit their individual training needs. A diverse portfolio will be offered, covering the practical applications of AI across industries spanning business, financial services, real estate, entertainment and performing arts, information and communications technology, creative design, among others.
The structural shifts in the local economy and the rapid advancement of digitalisation are reshaping the skills and talent demands. ERB is implementing reform measures in an orderly manner and will publish the first phase of a skill-based training framework in the first quarter of 2027. It will focus on sectors related to city operations, namely property management & security and healthcare services, to guide training bodies in developing corresponding courses and build skills’ learning pathways, in an effort to support workforce upskilling and their career development planning.
The Chairman of ERB, Professor Simon Wong kit-lung said, “The Government formulated its first-ever Five-Year Plan, which sets out a forward-looking policy blueprint for enhancing the quality and expanding the capacity of skills training, and guiding the future direction of Upskill Hong Kong. ERB is actively advancing its medium- to long-term reforms. We look forward to the early passage of the legislative proposals currently under scrutiny by the Legislative Council, upon which ERB will be upgraded to become Upskill Hong Kong. In alignment with Upskill Hong Kong’s important mission to promote upskilling for all, we are also making preparation for a new integrated training service centre, which will serve as a central hub for one-stop training, assessment, and support services, with operations targeted to commence in the first quarter of next year. Upskill Hong Kong, with the new designation, will enhance research capabilities for establishing a more comprehensive skill-based training framework and continuous learning pathways. By working in partnership with the Government, industries, and stakeholders from all sectors, we aim to develop a future-ready skill-based training ecosystem, empowering workers of diverse backgrounds to find suitable skills advancement pathways and navigate the evolving workplace landscape.”
ERB has implemented a series of short term reform measures since 2025, including lifting the restriction on educational attainment of trainees and launching over 100 new training courses. These new offerings cover higher-level courses as well as training in AI and its related industry applications, catering to the diverse training needs of service targets and supporting their continuous upskilling. ERB will continue to develop diversified, future-ready training courses and services that help employees seize new opportunities from industry upgrading and economic restructuring, while supporting Hong Kong’s development blueprints and the National “15th Five-Year Plan” through building a robust talent pool for high-quality development.
