IGNITE18: Jumpstart Your Career Launches Across Hong Kong, Connecting Youth with Industry, Universities and Future Career Opportunities

Over 3,000 secondary school students, principals, teachers and parents from over 60 schools across Hong Kong, youth and community members explored future careers at IGNITE18: Jumpstart Your Career events, organised by FutureGen Youth Foundation

[HONG KONG, 14 July 2026] – As AI, business transformations, and the rise of entirely new fields reshape the world of work, the need to prepare young people for the future has never been greater. Yet many students have limited access to industry leaders, workplace experiences, and practical insights into the careers and skills that will define tomorrow’s world.

To help bridge the gap between school and future career readiness, FutureGen Youth Foundation pilot launched IGNITE18: Jumpstart Your Career (“IGNITE18”), a new citywide career and life planning initiative designed to inspire and support secondary school students and youth across all 18 districts of Hong Kong on their journey from school to future careers.

This July, IGNITE18 pioneering events were held across three districts in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories, bringing together more than 3,000 participants including students, principals, teachers, parents from over 60 schools across Hong Kong and others. The IGNITE18 events were supported by more than 60 Supporting Organisations and featured over 50 career booths and 40 workshops. The Foundation plans to expand IGNITE18 across all 18 districts in Hong Kong in the next two years.

Launched with the support of Strategic Partner Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited and a broad network of education institutions, corporations, government departments, professional organisations, NGOs and community partners – IGNITE18 seeks to establish a collective impact ecosystem.

“In a world where AI, business transformation, and entirely new fields are reshaping career pathways, there is an urgency to create greater access earlier – from secondary age – to better equip and support youth on their career development journey,” said Jennifer Yu Cheng, JP, Founder of FutureGen Youth Foundation.

“At our Foundation, we have created a platform connecting over 140 Supporting Organisations with representation from education institutions, corporations, public institutes, NGOs, entrepreneurs and innovators to support youth career exploration and development in Hong Kong. Through IGNITE18, we aim to open doors earlier and inspire students to explore diverse career opportunities to be better equipped for tomorrow’s world – with the ultimate hope of building a stronger and more diverse talent pipeline for Hong Kong’s future.”

District Partnerships Across Hong Kong

The IGNITE18 series commenced at the 3 July event, co-organised by the Foundation and HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College, the seed school for Yuen Long District, and supported by the Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools and the Yuen Long District Secondary School Heads Association. The event showcased how collaboration between education and industry can create meaningful opportunities for youth.

On 8 July, IGNITE18 continued at Carmel Secondary School, the co-organising seed school for Kowloon City District. Supported by the Kowloon City District Secondary School Heads Association and the Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters, the event explored how innovation, research, and cultural heritage are shaping the future economy.

Finally, the signature youth event “Central and Western District Youth-to-Career Explo” took place on 9 and 11 July, co-organised by the Foundation, the Central and Western District Office, the Central and Western District Youth Network and St. Stephen’s Girls’ College as seed school for Central and Western District, and supported by the event’s education partner The Council of Central and Western District School Heads.

“We are deeply grateful to our seed schools, education partners, and Supporting Organisations for transforming the Foundation’s vision into action and for joining us in empowering young people,” said Secy Cheung, Founding Board Director of FutureGen Youth Foundation.

“Through our work with students, we have seen how powerful it can be when young people hear directly from industry leaders, professionals, and innovators. Often, a single conversation, sharing unexpected angles, can spark new aspirations and help students see pathways they had never previously imagined. IGNITE18 is about planting those seeds of possibility – inspiring young people to explore, discover, and take their first steps towards shaping their own futures.”

Highlights from IGNITE18 District Events

Across the IGNITE18 events, students engaged with distinguished leaders from business, technology, education, finance, science, healthcare, sports, tourism, and public service, while participating in interactive workshops, career booths, demonstrations, and experiential learning activities delivered by over 60 Supporting Organisations.

The events featured keynote addresses and career insights from distinguished leaders across sectors. McDonald’s Hong Kong fully supported all three district IGNITE18 events, with Randy Lai, CEO of McDonald’s Hong Kong, attending the Yuen Long District event in person and generously sharing stories and highlights from her career journey. “Life is full of endless possibilities, and everyone has their own pace to thrive. The key is to ‘Stay Hungry’ — to embrace a passion for life: a passion to learn, to explore, to challenge yourself, and to become a better you,” she said.

Across all three district events, Lawrence Hung, Immediate Past President and Executive Council Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management, delivered a career trends presentation exploring emerging job roles, future skills, and the importance of adaptability in the AI era.

Moderated by Secy Cheung, Founding Board Director of FutureGen Youth Foundation, a series of inspirational keynote panel discussions, held at each district event, featured prominent leaders sharing personal career journeys, first-hand industry insights, and jobs and skills of the future.

In the Yuen Long District event, students explored Hong Kong’s growing mega events economy ecosystem through a panel featuring Eric Fok Kai-shan, BBS, JP, Chairman of the Football Association of Hong Kong, China; Alex Yeung, JP,  Vice Chairman of Emperor Group; and Eric Gnock Fah, President & Co-Founder of Klook. Together, they discussed the expanding opportunities emerging across culture, sports, and tourism.

In the Kowloon City District event, students gained insights into hub innovation and cultural heritage through a distinguished panel featuring Dr. Albert Chau, Vice-President, Hong Kong Baptist University; Christine Ip, Vice Chairman, Greater China, United Overseas Bank; and Steven Yiu Siu-chung, Executive Director, Airport Operations, Airport Authority Hong Kong.

The Central and Western District’s signature youth event spanned across two days. On 9 July, students explored emerging opportunities within the Greater Bay Area’s industry–academia–research economic ecosystem through a panel featuring Gary Wong Chi-him, MH, JP, Chief Hong Kong and Macao Liaison Expert, Authority of Qianhai SZ-HK Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen; Professor Ava Kwong,  Chairman, Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry and Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, The University of Hong Kong; and Professor Lee Man Hoi, Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, The University of Hong Kong. The discussion examined how advances in research, healthcare, technology, entrepreneurship, and regional integration are creating entirely new career pathways for future generations.

Officiated by Alice Mak, SBS, JP, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, the Central and Western District’s second day event was held on 11 July at the Sai Ying Pun Community Complex, where she offered words of encouragement to participating students, Strive and Rise program mentees and youth. Youth and community members participated in the ceremony and discussions focused on the future of work and emerging technologies. Serena Tang, Career Development and Training Director of HKU Business School, also shared insights on emerging career trends. The event also featured Tencent WeTech Academy’s AI workshop and youth dialogues.

The IGNITE18 events demonstrated the power of cross-sector collaboration in helping young people explore possibilities, discover pathways, and take informed steps towards their future careers.

Building a Collective Impact Ecosystem for Hong Kong’s Future

The IGNITE18 events were made possible through the support of a broad network of organisations:

Strategic Partner: Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited

Fully Supported By: McDonald’s Hong Kong

Supporting Organisations:

AESIR Limited

Airport Authority Hong Kong

Archon Wellness Limited

DALLOYAU

Deloitte Foundation

DETERMINANT

Emperor Group

Hong Kong Hereditary Breast Cancer Family Registry

Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management

Hong Kong Qualifications Framework

HSBC

Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

iREd Solutions Limited

JEMS Character Academy

Klook

Laipic AI Technology Company Limited

L’Oréal Hong Kong

Microsoft Hong Kong

MTR Corporation Limited

RightPick Technology Limited

Ocean Park Corporation

Pet Space Group Limited

Plus One Dimension Interactive Company Limited

Police Community Relations Office Central District, Hong Kong Police Force

Police Community Relations Office Yuen Long District, Hong Kong Police Force

Police Community Relations Office Kowloon City Police District, Hong Kong Police Force

PRISTER Corporation Limited

Project Management Institute

SENIO Tech Limited

Smart Interactive Limited

Story Jungle Education

Tencent Wetech Academy

The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups

United Overseas Bank

XPENG Hong Kong

XPENG Hong Kong ARIDGE

Y.L.Yang Foundation

5G nuMultiMedia Limited

Education Partners:

Center for Global & Community Engagement (GCE), School of Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Chinese Culinary Institute

City University of Hong Kong

Department of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters

Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools

Hong Kong Baptist University

Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology

Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Chai Wan), Higher Diploma in Food Technology and Safety

Kowloon City District Secondary School Heads Association

Lingnan University Department of Digital Art and Creative Industries

Pre-incubation Centre (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

School of Business, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

School of Creative Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University

School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University

The Council of Central & Western District School Heads

The Education University of Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management

The University of Hong Kong

Yuen Long District Secondary School Heads Association

Supporting Statutory Body:

The Authority of Qianhai SZ-HK Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen