training schemes and co-ordinating the design of a projected Apprentices Training School.
8.34. A survey to determine manning scales for the Workshops Sections was started during the year, but it was later found to be impracticable to determine such scales in many sections without tabulated workload statistics and the survey was temporarily discontinued. However, as a result of the improved staff situation a start was made with the setting up of a Progress and Planning Office which will be able to supply such details as a by-product of Work Loading and Job Timing for cost purposes.
8.35. The Cost Accountant post was filled during the year and progress was made towards the establishment of a system of Cost Control. Clerical staff were appointed to assist in this task while a supernumerary post of Senior Engineer was created to set up the Progress and Planning Office and to provide the necessary engineering advice to, and co-ordination with, the Cost Control staff.
8.36. A Sub-Departmental Workshop Management Committee was set up in October to assess the suitability of the existing works management structures and organization of the E. & M. workshops for meeting present and future commitments and to make recommendations for any changes considered to be necessary.
8.37. Twenty-one members of the staff retired during the year, most of whom had served for more than 20 years in Government.
Training
8.38. A Supervisory Development Course for Technical Grade staff, run by this sub-department in conjunction with the Government Training Division, was conducted and it is hoped that this will be repeated next year. Two seminars were also held for officers at middle management level, one concerning staff matters and the other dealing with personnel problems. These were very successful and regular seminars will, in future, become a permanent feature of the sub-department's training programme.
8.39. 116 professional and technical officers from this sub-department attended courses run locally by the Government Training Division, the Labour Department, the Hong Kong University and the Hong Kong Productivity Centre. The courses covered a wide variety of administrative and engineering topics, ranging from Workshop Instruction and
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