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THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1977
FIVE MORE DESIGNATED TRADES TO BE SPECIFIED SOON
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THE TRADES OF ELECTRICIAN, MACHINIST, FITTER, TOOL AND DIE MAKER, AND INSTRUMENT MECHANIC MAY SOON BE SPÉCIFIED AS DESIGNATED TRADES UNDER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE.
THIS WILL BRING TO 28 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DESIGNATED TRADES.
THIS ADVANCE NOTICE WAS GIVEN BY MR. HORACE KNIGHT, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR (INDUSTRIAL TRAINING), A LUNCHEON TALK TO THE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CLUB TODAY.
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HE REVEALED THAT THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR WILL BE ADVISING THE GOVERNOR TO DESIGNATE THESE TRADES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
IN THE MEANTIME, MR. KNIGHT URGED EMPLOYERS ENGAGED IN THESE TRADES TO TAKE ON YOUNG PERSONS FOR TRAINING AND TO MAKE USE OF THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK PROVIDED IN THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE BY VOLUNTARILY REGISTERING THE CONTRACTS OF APPRENTICE- SHIP UNDER THE ORDINANCE.
HE SAID: +MORE SPECIFICALLY. I WOULD LIKE TO SOLICIT YOUR SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION IN PROMOTING APPRENTICE TRAINING IN THESE AND OTHER TRADES WITHIN YOUR OWN ORGANISATIONS.+
MR. KNIGHT POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WERE 400 CONTRACTS OF APPRENTICESHIP IN NON-DESIGNATED TRADES AND 1,200 IN DESIGNATED TRADES REGISTERED UNDER THE ORDINANCE SINCE SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRACTS REGISTERED WAS STILL A FAR CRY FROM INDUSTRY'S TOTAL ANNUAL NEED OF ABOUT 6,000 ADDITIONAL CRAFTSMEN AND 2,500 ADDITIONAL TECHNICIANS.
+ I AM SURE I DO NOT NEED TO TELL YOU THAT THE TRAINING OF SKILLED MANPOWER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A COMPANY IS AS MUCH A FUNCTION OF MANAGEMENT AS ANY OTHER NOR TO REMIND YOU THAT IT IS ALSO ONE WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS MOST OFTEN OVERLOOKED,+ HE CONTINUED.
+ IF THE PRIME OBJECTIVE OF THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE IS THE ULTIMATE GOOD OF INDUSTRY, THAT IS, THAT OUR INDUSTRIES WILL GET THE SKILLED MANPOWER THEY NEED TO SURVIVE IN AN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX AND COMPETITIVE SITUATION, THEN INDUSTRY CORPORATELY, EMPLOYERS INDIVIDUALLY AND YOU ESPECIALLY MUST CO-OPERATE WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO SEE TO IT THAT THAT PURPOSE IS ACHIEVED.
+WITH YOUR CO-OPERATION I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE SHALL OVERCOME ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS AND LONG-STANDING PROBLEMS CONFRONTING INDUSTRY, THAT OF SHORTAGE OF KEY SKILLED MANPOWER, SAID MR. KNIGHT.
/ON THE