Gov’t sets up a talent database

Grace Yu

The government will set up a talent database which could work as an agent connecting employers and qualified jobseekers. A talent information registration webpage was announced yesterday.
According to the Talent Development Committee, the official body created to manage the “talent issues,” the data is collected based on voluntary registration. The committee encourages local residents with technical qualifications, professional certification, higher education degrees, or other specialties, to register on the website (www.scdt.gov.mo/register) by entering their information, which the committee promises will be treated with confidentiality.
The aim of establishing the registration process is to collect data for a future talent database, which will contribute to the development of related policies. The website is only available in Chinese at the moment, but English and Portuguese versions will be available by mid July.
Promotional leaflets on the registration process will be sent to residents aged from 18 to 64, along with this year’s cash cheque handout.
The announcement was made during the second ordinary meeting of the Committee yesterday. The meeting was officiated by the head of the body, Chief Executive Chui Sai On.
The Committee’s secretary general, Sou Chio Fai, who also heads the Tertiary Education Services Office (GAES), stressed that the talent database would not overlap the GAES database of higher education. “The database of higher education is part of the talent database.”
The Committee announced the establishment of three ad hoc groups in its previous meeting. Yesterday’s meeting specified the respective responsibilities of the groups: to evaluate plans; to cultivate talent; and to encourage talented people to return to Macau. These three groups will be led by Dr. Eric Yeung Tsun Man (President of the Board of Directors of The Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre), Mr Wu Zhiliang (President of the Administrative Committee of Macao Foundation), and Mr Lau Pun Lap (Head of the Macau SAR Policy Research Office), respectively.
Yeung explained that the database could work as an agent when public departments and enterprises are looking for talented people. Staff of the database shall provide support by contacting qualified candidates registered and matching up enterprises with suitable talent.
Mr Lau noticed that some residents are staying in other regions. “In this case, we are in a contradictory situation. On one hand, we say that Macau is lacking talent; on the other hand, we waste this talent. If the government steps out first, it could hopefully set up a demonstration effect.”
Members of the committee also suggested in the meeting that the government should adjust the degree requirement set for public servants and professional authentication, taking degrees from other developed areas into account, so as to attract Macau talent to return to the city.
Investment in local training, especially a long-term mechanism, has been prioritized in the 2014 Policy Address, which was announced by the CE last year. The document categorized talented people into “elite,” “professional” and “application-oriented persons.”