Chief Secretary Eric Chan said a record number of applicants for a summer internship scheme this year organised by the government and some of the city's biggest private firms showed it is popular among youngsters.

Chan and the head of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), Alice Mak, on Friday officiated at the kick-off ceremony of the HYAB Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland and Overseas 2025.

Launched in 2018, the scheme received applications from 3,100 students this year, with over 400 positions offered.

The number of participating corporations stood at 28, also a new high.

Chan said the high number of applicants this year also showed youngsters would like to better themselves and are ready to face challenges.

"I hope youngsters could seize this unique opportunity to equip work attributes through your assigned position, actively understand the different workplace culture and lifestyles, and pursue the best you can," he said.