EMPLOYMENT
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The courses were held at a permanent exhibition centre, where a variety of machine guards, models depicting safe working practices on construction sites and personal protective equipment are on display. To help spread the message, new industrial safety posters also were distributed to industry.
Finding Employment
The local employment service operates a free placement service from eight offices. It caters for ordinary job-seekers as well as unemployed able-bodied adults receiving public assistance. During the year, the service helped 8,925 people find employment. In 1973, a special register was established to offer employment assistance to grad- uates of overseas and local universities, and to those who have completed post- secondary education. During 1977, 92 people were successfully placed in employment. The Contracts for Overseas Employment Ordinance controls contracts entered into in Hong Kong between overseas employers, or their authorised representatives, and all manual workers proceeding overseas for employment. Such contracts must be attested by the Commissioner for Labour before workers leave Hong Kong. During the year, 428 contracts were attested, compared with 490 in 1976.
Permission to work in Britain is given by the United Kingdom Department of Employment. Work permits are issued to applicants through the Hong Kong Immigra- tion Department.
Since September, 1975, administrative measures have been introduced to regulate and protect the employment of domestic helpers recruited from overseas under valid contracts that must be attested by the Labour Department. During the year, 2,658 such contracts were attested.
Under the Employment Ordinance, all profit-making employment agencies unless in an excluded class are required to obtain a licence before beginning operation. During the year, the department issued 29 licences to employment agencies dealing with local employment and 10 to those catering for employment overseas.
The Youth Employment Advisory Service provides career information to students and young people by preparing and regularly revising career pamphlets and occupa- tion leaflets. It has so far produced 36 career pamphlets and 100 occupation leaflets, and more are being prepared. A Careers Newsletter also is produced and distributed to secondary schools, youth centres and other interested organisations.
In 1977, officers of the service gave 352 career talks to some 32,700 students in 139 schools. The service also organised seven seminars and took part in 17 other activities that provided career information to students, teachers, parents and interested indi- viduals.
The sixth careers exhibition was held at the Hung Hom rail terminus from Novem- ber 25 to December 4. Twenty-five exhibitors from commerce, industry and govern- ment took part in the exhibition, which attracted some 113,000 visitors. During the year, eight mini career exhibitions were staged on a specially-designed truck that visited housing estates, parks, community centres and schools.
Industrial Health and Hygiene
The Industrial Health Unit of the Labour Department provides an advisory service to the government and industry on matters relating to the health of workers. The