PRESS RELEASE

VTC and Kai Tak Sports Park collaborate to nurture talent and promote sports industry development

July 29, 2024

(Hong Kong, 29 July 2024) With the Paris 2024 Olympics currently under way, a wave of sports enthusiasm is sweeping across Hong Kong. At the same time, the rapid development of Hong Kong’s sports industry is fueling a surge in demand for skilled professionals. Leveraging their respective strengths in Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) and sports development sector, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) and Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to nurture talent across the sports, recreation and entertainment industries, helping drive the growth of this sector in Hong Kong.

 

The MoU signing ceremony was held at the KTSP Experience Centre last Thursday (25 July), with VTC Deputy Executive Director Dr Michael WANG and KTSP Project Director Mr John SHARKEY signing the agreement. Dr WANG said that VTC and KTSP gathered to celebrate and formalise their collaboration through the signing of the MoU, signifying not only a reaffirmed commitment to nurturing talent but also bridge the gap between academia and industry. He added that this partnership would empower VTC students to thrive in the ever-evolving sports sector while contributing to the growth and prosperity of the industry as a whole.

Mr John SHARKEY, Project Director at KTSP said, “Kai Tak Sports Park serves as the future home venue for Hong Kong, will become an iconic sports and entertainment landmark in the heart of the city upon completion, offering vibrant and extraordinary experiences for visitors. By collaborating with an institution like VTC, KTSP aims to create more opportunities for Hong Kong youth to engage with the events industry. This will help cultivate a new generation of venue and sector professionals, enhancing the industry’s professionalism and development.”

 

Under this collaboration, KTSP will provide internship and part-time job opportunities for Degree and Higher Diploma students from the VTC. This will enable students to benefit from hands-on experience and to enhance their professional knowledge and practical skills. KTSP will also support their participation in various industry-based projects, integrating application and learning practices to deepen their understanding of the industry, and prepare students for future careers through the “Integrated Career Programme Plan”. Moreover, VTC staff will be able to keep abreast of latest developments in the sports industry and understand its talent needs through staff attachment opportunities offered by KTSP.

 

As a further means of promoting the sports and hospitality industries to the wider community, VTC and KTSP will launch a “Mobile Classroom Series” covering a wide range of professional areas, including sports therapy, sports coaching, sports management, smart sports, hospitality and tourism, etc. Through upskilling workshops, job tasters and competitions, VTC students can acquire and apply industry skills and knowledge in a real-life setting.

 

About Vocational Training Council（VTC）

Established in 1982, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) is the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong. The mission of VTC is to provide a valued choice to school leavers and working people to acquire the values, knowledge and skills for lifelong learning and enhanced employability, and also to provide support to industries for their manpower development. VTC has 14 member institutions, namely the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), the Institute of Professional Education And Knowledge (PEAK), the School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE), the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE), the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI), the Hong Kong Institute of Information Technology (HKIIT),  the Hotel and Tourism Institute (HTI),  the Chinese Culinary Institute (CCI), the International Culinary Institute (ICI), the Maritime Services Training Institute (MSTI), Youth College, Pro-Act by VTC, the Integrated Vocational Development Centre (IVDC) and the Shine Skills Centre.

Website: www.vtc.edu.hk

 

About Kai Tak Sports Park

Kai Tak Sports Park is a fully integrated sports, leisure and entertainment destination. The 28-hectare Sports Park will be part of the redevelopment on the site of the old Hong Kong International Airport in Kai Tak. The Sports Park features a 50,000-seat Kai Tak Main Stadium with a retractable roof, an Kai Tak Arena with the flexibility to host community sports and events of up to 10,000 seats, and a Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground with a capacity of 5,000 seats. These venues will be complemented with extensive public open spaces for events and leisure together with retail and harbour front dining spaces.

 

Media Enquiries：

Joyce YUEN, Corporate Communications Manager, Communications and Public Relations Office, VTC

E-mail: joyceytyuen@vtc.edu.hk

Tel: 2836 1869

 

Joyce WAN, Kai Tak Sports Park

E-mail: joycewan@kaitaksportspark.com.hk

Tel: 9783 9723

WELL CONNECTED

Commuting and Accessibility

The project site of the Kai Tak Sports Park takes an area of around 28 hectares in the north apron of the former airport.

MTR
Kai Tak Station and Sung Wong Toi Station are within 10 minutes’ walk; with Station Square connecting these stations to Kai Tak Sports Park.

Pedestrian walkways
Pedestrian walkways will connect the Kai Tak Sports Park to new developments in To Kwa Wan, Ma Tau Kok, Kowloon City and Kai Tak districts.

Bus
Kai Tak Sports Park is located near two public transport interchanges.

Ferry
Kai Tak Sports Park is located near Kowloon City Ferry Pier.

Parking
The precinct provides ample public parking spaces.

*Final designs are subject to change.

A PARK FOR ALL

Other Features

Sports and Leisure facilities to be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities, all day, every day.

The 14-hectare open space will cater to a diverse range of user groups from community and participatory sports, active recreation, and sports events. It is composed of a rich tapestry of activity and education zones, galleries, trails and elements that honor the iconic Kai Tak Airport and heritage.

Sports Avenue
The Sports Avenue runs across the entire precinct from North to South, offering connections from the adjacent Station Square the Kai Tak and Sung Wong Toi MTR Stations, and through to the harbourfront promenade.

Main Plaza
Located in the heartbeat of the precinct, the Main Plaza can be used for community recreation activities or events. The canopy over the Main Plaza is designed to provide abundant shade for visitors during event and crowd dispersal, and underneath the Main Plaza, a sub-podium passageway will offer an additional visitor dispersal route during events.

Event Village
Located east of the Main Stadium, the Event Village offers a mix of lawn and concrete floor surfaces suitable for different sports activities or extension programmes for major events.

South Plaza
Located in the southern part of the precinct, the South Plaza offers an open-air multi-purpose space for a wide range of activities inclusive of trails and activity zones. The South Plaza connects the harbourfront promenade through an outdoor amphitheatre-like terrace.

Neighbourhood Park
The Neighbourhood Park at the northeastern corner of the precinct will be equipped with courts for ball games as well as a cycling track, a jogging trail, a children’s playground and a lawn for recreation.

Dining Cove
The Dining Cove which overlooks the Victoria Harbour will offer a diverse range of food and beverage options.

Retail
In addition to restaurants, retail shops, and a health and wellness centre, there will be an international-standard bowling centre with 40 lanes suitable for hosting international tournaments.
*Final designs are subject to change.


MULTI-PURPOSE FACILITIES

Major Venues

A wide variety of international standard sports facilities suitable for both professional and amateur athletes.

Main Stadium
A Main Stadium with a fixed seating capacity of 50,000, with the theme “Pearl of the Orient” as its design inspiration, it boasts a retractable roof and flexible pitch surface that can host a wide range of international, regional and local events in any weather.
The facility has been designed to meet the standards of major international events with customisable staging and seating configurations that cater to various events and crowd sizes. It also adopts a flexible pitch system which can be switched between quality natural turf for premier football or rugby events, to other surface for a myriad of sports, entertainment, and community events. The South Stand honours the great Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tradition, with a vast activity platform set against a panoramic glass wall that provides exceptional views toward Victoria Harbour.


Indoor Sports Centre
An Indoor Sports Centre with a seating capacity of up to 10,000, with 80% of the seats retractable or removable that caters for different events. The venue has been designed to meet the standard of major international tournaments including badminton, basketball, gymnastics, tennis and table tennis. The ancillary sports hall offers a seating capacity of up to 500.
With the use of different arena overlay floor surfaces and removable spectator seating system, the venue can be configured for different sports activities, from elite competitions to community use. Together, the main arena and ancillary sports hall can provide the equivalent space of 12 standard basketball courts for community use when all spectator seats are removed.


Public Sports Ground
A Public Sports Ground with a seating capacity of 5,000, suitable for hosting school sports days, athletics meets, local football and rugby matches, as well as team and athlete training sessions. With the exception of major events, the Public Sports Ground will be open daily to the public for jogging and quali-walk free of charge.
*Final designs are subject to change.