Speaking on RTHK's "Talkabout" programme this morning, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung said the jobs to be created include 7,700 civil servant posts, while the Labour Department's employment programmes to provide training and employment opportunities can benefit 44,000 people.

The Internship Programme for University Graduates will benefit 4,000 graduates, and an estimated 10,000 jobs will be created for the Operation Building Bright maintenance project. Programmes to promote Hong Kong as an events capital and infrastructure projects will also create jobs, he said.

Though some of the jobs are internships or short-term ones, Mr Cheung urged job seekers to value the work and training opportunities while waiting for the economy to recover.

Enhanced youth training programmes

He said the Labour Department has integrated the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme and the Youth Work Experience & Training Scheme to cater for the needs of those aged 15 to 24.

Under these programmes, young people can have training before landing a job, on-the-job training and social workers' follow-up service upon employment.

Places for the programmes have risen from 10,000 a year to 35,000 for two years - an increase of 15,000 places. Mr Cheung urged people to call the department on 2112 9932 or browse the website for more information.

He stressed job projects launched are not to delay a rise in the jobless rate, but to equip job seekers. He said it could, to a certain extent, help ease the unemployment problem. People with disabilities have also been taken into consideration while mapping out these projects.

No social-welfare spending cuts

"The $13 million provided by the budget enables the department to adopt a more proactive approach in providing employment assistance to those made redundant during the financial crisis," Mr Cheung said.

He understood the plight of the middle class, adding the Government hopes to preserve jobs by improving the economy.

In response to questions as to whether social welfare spending was being cut, Mr Cheung said it was not as social-welfare spending accounts for 17.2% of total public spending - the second largest following education.

People have this misunderstanding just because there were extra payments for recipients of comprehensive social security assistance, old age and disability allowance in the 2008-09 financial year, he said.