"Two years ago, when I tried to change my career and engage myself in serving people for the rest of my life, I didn't expect fighting the epidemic for Hong Kong," said Mang Ka Ming, who had been a salesman for more than two decades before looking for a new career path at his middle-age. He took the Foundation Certificate in Care-related Support Worker Training, jointly organised by YWCA Career Development and Continuing Education Department and the Employees Retraining Board (ERB), and is now a patient care assistant in the COVID-19 ward at Ruttonjee Hospital.

It is not easy to achieve one’s dream. Ka Ming had been admitted to hospital because of the pressure with the study. He had thought about giving up, but at last persisted in completing the course after receiving meticulous care from the patient care assistants in the hospital, which brought him greater sense of mission. He was referred to the Kowloon West Hospital Cluster and got hired upon graduation. 

Martin Kwong, a formal toy designer, was another successful example. He returned to Hong Kong from the Mainland because of the decline in the toy industry. After taking care of his elder family member, he noticed the great demand for care service attendants for the elderly. Hoping to help others, Martin enrolled on ERB’s Foundation Certificate in Physiotherapist Assistant Training. After graduation, he was introduced by an intermediary company to serve as a self-employed physiotherapy assistant. Martin strives to develop his second career, and is now able to work on his own. In addition to day care elderly centres, he also provides physiotherapy services for elderly living alone.

Ka Ming and Martin's hard work and strong determination to start a new career earned them the "ERB Outstanding Award for Trainees”. Hayson Wong, who also took the Foundation Certificate in Physiotherapist Assistant Training, was awarded the "ERB Merit Award for Trainees". 13 partners of the Association received employer awards, in which two of them won the "ERB Excellence Award for Employees”.

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2021-3-6《on.cc》中年玩具設計師失業重新起步　進修轉戰物理治療