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machine shop and metal working (including welding), and textile industries. Electronic data processing and insurance training centres were established during the year and a banking training centre was planned.
These training centres have the capacity to provide basic off-the-job training for some 9 000 trainees a year, ranging from operative to technologist level.
The Seamen's Training Temporary Centre at Little Sai Wan provides 30-day training programmes to Hong Kong seamen to enable them to obtain the certificates required under the International Maritime Organisation's Convention on Standards of Training, Certifica- tion and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978. The centre can train 1920 seamen a year. A permanent seamen's training centre at Tai Lam Chung was under construction.
The Engineering Graduate Training Scheme was launched by the council in February 1983 to provide 18-months' practical training to enable engineering graduates to become qualified professional engineers. In 1986, 90 firms and 265 trainee engineers participated in the scheme.
The Management Development Centre of Hong Kong began operation in October 1984 with the main purpose of improving management in Hong Kong and ensuring that it is capable of meeting changing needs, both in the short and the long term. The centre has four principal functions: research, development, co-ordination and promotion.
Apart from industrial apprenticeship schemes, commercial traineeship schemes were also introduced in the accountancy and insurance sectors. The Training Course Subsidy Scheme proved popular; this was operated by the boards for the accountancy, banking, journalism, transport and physical distribution, and wholesale/retail and import/export sectors.
Training Authorities
The Clothing Industry Training Authority and the Construction Industry Training Authority are statutory bodies set up in 1975 to establish and operate training centres for these particular industries. The former is financed by a training levy based on the export value of clothing items while the latter is financed by a levy based on the value of construction works exceeding $1 million. There are now two construction industry training centres operating and a third one being built, and two clothing industry training centres.
Apprenticeship Scheme
The Apprenticeship Ordinance provides a legal framework for the training of craftsmen and technicians. It requires an employer to enter into a contract of apprenticeship when engaging a person aged between 14 and 18 in one of the 42 designated trades specified in the ordinance, unless that person has already completed an apprenticeship in the trade. The contract must be registered with the Director of Technical Education and Industrial Training. Contracts for apprentices engaged in non-designated trades, or for apprentices aged over 18 engaged in designated trades, may also be registered with the Director on a voluntary basis.
The Apprenticeship Section of the Technical Education and Industrial Training Depart- ment is responsible for administering the ordinance. Its duties include advising and assisting employers in the training and employment of apprentices, ensuring that the training is properly carried out, helping to resolve disputes arising out of registered contracts, and co-operating with educational institutes to ensure that apprentices receive the necessary complementary technical education. Courses of instruction for apprentices, normally on a part-time day-release basis, are provided at the Hong Kong Polytechnic and the technical institutes.