Low pay has discouraged people from becoming legislative councillors' assistants, Commercial Radio reports. Legislators said in a committee meeting this week that they were unable to recruit and retain good assistants as a result of low pay for the position, especially relative to that of government-appointed political assistants. Legislative assistants earn about HK$15,000 a month.

Pub sets up job advice desk

A German pub has set up an advice desk to help the long-term unemployed get back on their feet. Many regulars to the Kindl Klause in Berlin live off the minimum jobless benefit, so offering free advice on how to find work again seemed logical, the bar's boss Michael Hasucha says. The point is not to get drunk, he adds. "Most people seeking advice just have a coffee or a cola then go." The desk, which operates between 2pm and 5pm on Fridays, is run by two social workers who once stopped off at the bar after work and got into conversation with locals. Reuters 

British engineering firms giving up on hiring school leavers

Engineering firms in Britain are increasingly giving up on hiring school leavers in favour of more experienced staff, The Daily Telegraphreports. A study of 400 engineering and technical firms by the Institution of Engineering and Technology found the number of school leavers hired has fallen from 17 per cent of all new recruits last year to 9 per cent this year. More than half of new hires are experienced staff.