Vocational Education

The Government is committed to providing quality, flexible and diversified study pathways with multiple entry and exit points for secondary school leavers. Vocational education and training plays a pivotal role in broadening the learning opportunities for school leavers and in-service personnel as well as nurturing the requisite human capital in support of Hong Kong’s development. The Government have been attaching great importance to vocational education and training ―

(a) Qualifications Framework (QF): The Government has launched the QF, which is a seven-level hierarchy embracing qualifications in the academic, vocational and continuing education sectors.

(b) Vocational Training Council (VTC): In Hong Kong, VTC is the largest vocational education and training provider. Through its 13 member institutions, VTC offers a wide range of full-time and part-time vocational education programmes which lead to formal qualifications from post-Secondary 3 up to degree levels (i.e. QF Levels 2 to 5) with multiple entry and exit points and clear articulation pathways within the entire VTC system. The VTC provides about 250 000 training places each year, offering people of different education levels with pre-employment and in-service vocational education and training programmes, including full-time Higher Diploma and diploma courses, in-service short training programmes, training programmes for non-engaged youths and apprentice training. 

(c) Higher Diploma (HD) Programmes: At the sub-degree level (Level 4 in QF), various post-secondary education institutions offer HD programmes, of which at least 60% of the curriculum is devoted to specialized content in specific disciplines, professions or vocational skills. HD programmes seek to enable students to acquire the appropriate attitude, knowledge and skills to support their initial employment at the para-professional level.

(d) Applied Learning (ApL) Courses: At the senior secondary level (equivalent to Levels 2 to 3 in QF), ApL courses, which are subjects with stronger elements of practical learning linked to broad professional and vocational fields, are introduced as elective subjects for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) examination. Attainment in ApL subjects is recognized for admission to post-secondary programmes either as elective subjects or considered for award of extra bonus or as additional information, depending on institutions, faculties and programmes.

(e) Outside the school system, there is a wide array of full-time and part-time certificate and diploma programmes equivalent to QF Levels 2 and 3, primarily targeting young people having completed Secondary 3 to 6 and working adults who wish to acquire training or acquire formal qualifications using alternative pathways.