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EMPLOYMENT
to return to Hong Kong for employment. During the year, 25 graduates found employment through the assistance of the service.
The youth employment advisory service continued to provide careers information to students and young people through the preparation and regular revision of careers pamphlets and occupations leaflets. It has so far produced 35 pamphlets and 50 occupations leaflets, and additional ones are under preparation. In 1975 the service also produced a monthly 'Careers Newsletter' and 13,000 copies were distributed to secondary schools, youth centres and other interested organisations.
Throughout the year, officers of the service gave 408 careers talks in 113 schools and 17 youth centres to some 28,000 students and youngsters. The service also organised nine seminars and participated in three others which provided careers information to students, teachers, parents and interested individuals.
Since September, the service has started to make use of a mobile exhibition vehicle which was donated by the Rotary Club of Kowloon to the Labour Department. It is being used to stage a series of mini careers exhibitions at various housing estates, parks, community centres and schools. The purpose is to bring careers information in a visual form to young people throughout Hong Kong.
The fourth careers exhibition was held at the City Hall from December 17-28. Some 15 exhibitors from commerce, industry and government took part in the exhibition, which attracted nearly 100,000 visitors.
The Contracts for Overseas Employment Ordinance controls contracts of em- ployment entered into in Hong Kong between overseas employers and manual workers -including domestic servants (with the exception of certain specific_categories) proceeding overseas for employment. During the year 602 contracts were attested, compared with 719 the previous year.
Permission to work in Britain is given by the United Kingdom Department of Employment. Work permits are issued to applicants through the Immigration Department.
Under the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 1973, which came into force on January 1, 1974, all profit-making employment agencies, unless in an excluded class, are required to obtain a licence from the Commissioner for Labour before starting operation. During the year, 35 licences were issued to employment agencies catering for employment of people within Hong Kong and 12 to those catering for employment overseas.
Industrial Health
The industrial health unit of the Labour Department offers an advisory service to the government and industry on matters relating to the health of workers. The unit is primarily concerned with preventing occupational diseases and protecting workers against hazards in their working environment. These hazards are reported by the statutory notification of occupational diseases, by the factory inspectorate, or by officers of the unit. Control is achieved by environmental and biological