Citi and Foundation Equip Hong Kong Youth With AI Skills Through Job Hunter Challenge
Citi and the Changing Young Lives Foundation held the finale of the Job Hunter Challenge 2026, a year-long programme training over 400 underprivileged students in AI literacy. Ten winners received internships, supported by a US$500,000 Citi Foundation grant.
Citi and the Changing Young Lives Foundation hosted the grand finale and award ceremony of the Job Hunter Challenge 2026, a youth employability programme designed to equip underprivileged young people with AI literacy and skills for the future of work.
The year-long programme, which ran from November 2025 to October 2026, attracted more than 400 secondary and tertiary students. After individual and group assessments, 30 participants reached the final round, and 10 winners were selected to receive internship opportunities offered by corporate partners.
Speaking at the ceremony, Charles Lam, Hong Kong Head of Markets at Citi, said that while AI enhances productivity, critical thinking and communication skills remain essential for personal growth and career development.
Throughout the programme, Citi volunteers served as workshop mentors, mock interviewers and judges, drawing on their professional experience to provide career guidance and practical insights. They helped students build confidence, develop skills, and learn how to use AI to navigate an evolving workplace.
The programme is supported by the Citi Foundation’s Global Innovation Challenge, launched in 2023 to provide philanthropic support to community organisations addressing social and economic challenges through innovative solutions. In 2025, the Changing Young Lives Foundation was selected as a grant recipient and received US$500,000 to implement the two-year Job Hunter Challenge in Hong Kong, aiming to enhance young people’s employability and career readiness.