Over the past 48 years, the success of Hactl has been made possible by the professionalism of its dedicated team members spanning a wide variety of roles. In 2023, Hactl launched its Elite Management Trainee (EMT) Programme to nurture future leaders. In August 2023, following four rounds of interviews, six young individuals emerged from a pool of 500 applicants to become part of the Hactl family. During the three-year programme, newcomers undergo training in various departments and have the opportunity of fast-tracking into managerial roles. Throughout the training process, Hactl assigns six Executive Directors as mentors to offer one-on-one guidance to each trainee. In this issue of Hactlink, we’ve invited three of the successful applicants to share their experiences and insights. Interestingly, they all report common themes along their journeys: growth, transformation, friendship, teamwork, and a sense of belonging.
Pursuing perfection as a team
When Vivian Tang first joined Hactl, she recalls quietly boarding the shuttle bus alone, changing into her uniform, and immersing herself in her tasks. Hailing from Guangzhou, today she has found a welcoming family in Hong Kong: colleagues from different departments warmly greet her on the bus, work shifts together, and exchange ideas during lunchtimes. After work, they often gather at the Hactl Sports Centre for group workouts.
“This year, I am delighted to have found a sense of belonging,” says Vivian. “Interacting with frontline colleagues and engaging with the management have been very fulfilling. As I get to know more colleagues, I truly feel the warmth of the human connections.”
This happy outcome can be attributed to a pivotal decision made by Vivian back in 2023. While on the verge of completing her Master of Accountancy studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, she applied for the EMT programme. Throughout the four rounds of interviews, she was impressed by the meticulous selection process and the attention of the interviewers to the perspectives of the young applicants.
“This is a company that genuinely nurtures young talents,” Vivian reflects.
Eventually, she emerged as one of the successful applicants, and her training journey commenced, taking her through three departments – starting with Hactl’s subsidiary, Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services Limited (Hacis), followed by Hactl’s Terminal Services team (responsible for imports and exports), and finally the Ground Services team which manages ramp operations.
As she transitioned through her different roles and acquainted herself with her new colleagues, Vivian realised that handling the storage and transportation of each shipment requires close collaboration between workmates.
“I used to prefer working alone in school, but upon entering the workplace, I’ve come to understand that many tasks require collective effort.”
“I used to prefer working alone in school, but upon entering the workplace, I’ve come to understand that many tasks require collective effort. Even if I could manage on my own, it wouldn’t be as efficient as what the whole team could achieve together,” she explains. Over the past year, she has undergone a noticeable transformation: “Whenever I’m assigned a new task, I now tend to communicate with my team members throughout the process as a matter of course; I no longer strive for perfection all by myself.”
Throughout the leadership journey, each trainee is assigned a mentor for guidance; so, whenever Vivian faces challenges, she turns to her mentor for advice. “She possesses a gentle and calm demeanour, always generously sharing her experiences,” says Vivian, who has gradually come to understand that a good leader not only effectively supervises their team, but also selflessly shares knowledge and is keen to nurture newcomers.
“If I have the opportunity to take up a leadership role in the future, I would allocate sufficient resources to support new joiners, injecting more vibrancy to the company,” Vivian adds. This newcomer to the professional world has already stepped into the next phase of the EMT programme and is eagerly embracing the fresh challenges ahead.
The satisfaction of turning learning into practice
A year ago, fresh from his graduation with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Curtis Wong was eager to develop his expertise at a leading company in the industry. Following the rigorous Hactl selection process, he joined the EMT programme last summer.
In just a year at Hactl, Curtis has already ventured into two distinctly different departments. In the Operations department, he met many seasoned colleagues and learned how to work safely and efficiently in cargo acceptance and release, as well as ramp operations. Transitioning to Hacis, Curtis felt the pulse of the latest industry advancements and explored how Hactl’s terminal services align with the constantly-evolving e-commerce sector – all while collaborating with his peers.
“Whether it’s about building relationships with colleagues or quickly adapting to the cultures of different departments, Curtis can always count on his mentor for valuable advice.”
What surprised him was how quickly he was able to put his university learning into practice. At the Hacis E-commerce Fulfilment Centre, he worked closely with fellow trainee Patrick, leveraging their combined data management knowledge to develop three user-friendly automated programmes that facilitate more efficient handling of e-commerce shipments. “It’s very satisfying to apply what I’ve learned and contribute to the entire operation,” Curtis says.
However, as a newcomer to the workforce, Curtis naturally still has much to learn, and he considers himself fortunate to have a kind and generous mentor, guiding and supporting him along his career path. Whether it’s about building relationships with colleagues or quickly adapting to the cultures of different departments, Curtis can always count on his mentor for valuable advice.
In this first year of his career, Curtis finds himself growing quickly. “I used to see things solely from my own perspective, but now I try to tackle a problem by taking into account various people’s and departments’ perspectives,” Curtis adds.
During his free time, Curtis often meets with his fellow trainees, valuing the friendships and camaraderie they share. “The happiest moments are our lunch gatherings; we have a great relationship and regularly share our life and work experiences.”
Compiling a “Hactl Dictionary”
Nowadays, Patrick Chan often receives comments from family and friends about his tan, which makes him smile. “This is the visible evidence of my career growth!” he laughs.
Patrick majored in Business Administration at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. As a participant in the Hactl EMT programme, Patrick has been immersed in training across three teams since August 2023. He was most impressed by the Ground Services team, for their dedication to cargo loading on the ramp, working hard around the clock.
“I worked on the ramp in August, which is the hottest and wettest month in Hong Kong. Each day, the team collaborated to load all the cargo onto the aircraft efficiently and safely throughout both sun and rain. It was incredibly rewarding, especially watching the plane take off from the ramp,” Patrick says.
Correctly loading a freighter requires teamwork among colleagues in various specialised roles, he continues. “I used to think that handling air cargo is simple, but it turns out that it requires collective effort from cargo handlers, equipment operators and supervisors… everyone works seamlessly as a unit, supporting each other. This is the result of the coordinated effort and hard work,” continues Patrick.
During the initial selection process, Patrick experienced Hactl’s people-oriented culture and emphasis on teamwork. The most unforgettable experience was an entire day of Outward Bound assessment, where interviewers evaluated the different candidates’ personalities, leadership potentials, and interactions by means of collaborative games and adventure activities.
“Putting this into practice, he recently consolidated the many and various terms he has learned in his different teams, to produce a comprehensive “Hactl Dictionary”.”
“We worked as a team, pulling together to achieve things that would be impossible for just one person. For example, team members had to walk across a fairly high single log bridge in a short time. When each person walked across, the others had to hold the safety rope tightly for them,” Patrick recalls. “Despite the scorching heat and swarms of mosquitoes which left my limbs covered in bites, I knew that – no matter what happened – I must hold onto that safety rope for my teammates.”
Patrick emphasises that teamwork is just as crucial in his daily work. Like his fellow trainees, over the past year he has learned to listen more and understand the thoughts and needs of others. Putting this into practice, he recently consolidated the many and various terms he has learned in his different teams, to produce a comprehensive “Hactl Dictionary”.
“Working at Hactl involves many specialisations and skills. For faster communication, we often use jargon and abbreviations that will be unfamiliar to new colleagues. I hope this dictionary will be helpful to them in the future,” says Patrick.