250 infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation
The Construction Industry Council Training Academy under the CIC continued to provide training and trade testing services for the construction industry.
Up to the end of 2011, 6455 applications for registration in the Voluntary Subcontractor Registration Scheme were received and 6 180 were approved.
Construction Workers Registration
The Construction Workers Registration Authority (CWRA) continued to oversee the registration of construction workers and administration of the Construction. Workers Registration Ordinance (CWRO). Up to end of December 2011, there were about 287 000 registered construction workers, among whom 193 000 renewed their registration. Under the CWRO's phase one prohibition, in place since September 2007, workers shall not carry out construction work on construction sites unless they are registered as construction workers. The construction industry can generally meet the requirements of the ordinance.
Construction Manpower Development
To meet the manpower needs of Hong Kong's massive infrastructure programme, the Government secured $100 million in May 2010 to support the CIC to enhance the skills and competitiveness of the construction workforce through training and trade testing, and to attract more people to join the construction industry through promotion and public education.
These initiatives started to bear fruit with visible signs of more young people joining the industry and the enhanced training programme. The Development Bureau will continue to collaborate with CIC and other key stakeholders to monitor the manpower situation in the construction industry, and support training for meeting market demand to ensure the timely and effective delivery of upcoming infrastructure projects.
Developments under CEPA
During the year, the Development Bureau continued discussions with stakeholders of the Hong Kong construction industry and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development on the ninth phase of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). Under Supplement VIII to CEPA signed between the Mainland and Hong Kong in December 2011, the Mainland side will allow Hong Kong professionals, who have obtained Mainland construction professional qualifications through mutual recognition, to register and practice in Guangdong and enjoy the same privileges as their Mainland counterparts. In addition, Hong Kong professionals, who have obtained Mainland registered first- class architect qualification or Mainland registered first-class structural engineer qualification through mutual recognition, will be recognised as registered practitioners for the purpose of application of construction and engineering design. enterprise qualifications in Guangdong, in accordance with Mainland requirements.
Websites
Development Bureau: www.devb.gov.hk