10
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1977
GOVERNMENT TRAINS MORE APPRENTICES
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CERTIFICATES WERE AWARDED TODAY TO 51 CRAFT APPRENTICES WHO COMPLETED A FOUR-YEAR GOVERNMENT TRAINING COURSE.
THE COURSE, SPECIALLY DRAWN UP FOR APPRENTICES TO QUALIFY FOR JOBS AS ARTISANS -- PRIMARILY IN THE GOVERNMENT -- INCLUDED TRAINING AT THE MORRISON HILL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, FAMILIARISATION WITH INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND FIRST-AID PRACTICES, AND ON-JOE TRAINING WITH ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS.
APPRENTICES WHO COMPLETED THE RECENT COURSE, HAD OFF-JOB OR ACADEMIC TRAINING DURING THEIR FIRST YEAR, AND ON-JOB TRAINING FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS WORK ING FOR ONE OF THE P.W.D. DIVISIONS WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT OR THE ELECTRIAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE, OR THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION. MOST OF THE APPRENTICES, WHO COMPLETED THE COURSE, HAVE BEEN ABSORBED INTO THESE ORGANISATIONS.
SPEAKING AT A FUNCTION HELD IN CONNECTION WITH THE AWARD ING OF CERTIFICATES, MR. T.H. TOMLINSON, PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT WATER ENGINEER, SAID THAT A CAREER WITH THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDED THE APPRENTICES AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE INVOLVED ON INTERESTING PROJECTS OR WITH A WIDE RANGE OF INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED MAJOR ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL PLANT. PROSPECTS FOR ADVANCEMENT IN SERVICE WERE GOOD AND CONTINUED TO IMPROVE.
TOUCHING ON OPPORTUNITIES ELSEWHERE MR. TOMLINSON SAID +AS MUCH AS WE MIGHT LIKE TO RETAIN THE SERVICES OF THEM ALL, THERE ARE SOME FOR WHOM THE PRIVATE SECTOR WILL PRESENT THE NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT AND THE TYPE OF CHALLENGE THEY WILL WISH TO MEET. WE MUST RECOGNISE THAT THE SCHEME, ALTHOUGH OPERATED BY GOVERNMENT TO MEET ITS OWN ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS. IS ALSO DESIGNED TO MEET THE GENERAL NEEDS OF HONG KONG, AS ARE OTHER APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES CONDUCTED BY VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS. THE SKILLED MEN THAT THESE SCHEMES PRODUCE ARE REQUIRED IN INCREASING NUMBERS TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S BUOYANT ECONOMY.+
THE LAISHLEY CUP, GIVEN TO AN APPRENTICE FOR THE BEST ACADEMIC OR PRACTICAL PERFORMANCE DURING A YEAR, WAS AWARDED TO MR. TSE KAM-CHUNG.