MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1978
NEW BRANCH OFFICE FOR LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S APPRENTICESHIP
DIVISION *****
THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY OPENED A NEW BRANCH OFFICE IN KOWLOON FOR ITS APPRENTICESHIP DIVISION TO ASSIST BOTH EMPLOYERS AND YOUNG WORKERS IN MATTERS CONCERNING APPRENTICE TRAINING UNDER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE.
THE NEW OFFICE, THE THIRD OPERATED BY THE DIVISION, IS IN A SINGLE STOREY STRUCTURE IN SALISBURY ROAD OPPOSITE THE SHERATON HOTEL IN TSIM SHA TSUI. ITS TELEPHONE NUMBERS ARE 3-667120 AND 3-667463.
THE OTHER TWO OFFICES ARE IN NEW RODNEY BLOCK, QUEENSWAY, HONG KONG, AND 7 KING FUK STREET, SAN PO KONG, KOWLOON.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID, THE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF THESE OFFICES ARE TO ADMINISTER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE AND TO PROMOTE APPRENTICE TRAINING IN THE 28 DESIGNATED TRADES WHICH ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG INDUSTRIES.
+THE AIM OF THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED, +1S TO ENSURE YOUNG PERSONS OF AGE BETWEEN 14 AND 18 WORKING IN THESE TRADES RECEIVE ADEQUATE TRAINING SO THAT HONG KONG WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF SKILLED MANPOWER IN THESE IMPORTANT TRADES.+.
+ THE APPRENTICESHIP DIVISION WOULD ALSO ENDEAVOUR TO SETTLE DISPUTES BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND THEIR REGISTERED APPRENTICES, + HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT ALL CONTRACTS OF APPRENTICESHIP OF YOUNG PERSONS IN DESIGNATED TRADES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE APPRENTICESHIP DIVISION FOR REGISTRATION WITHIN 14 DAYS OF
IMPLEMENTATION.
HE REMINDED EMPLOYERS ENGAGED IN THE FIVE ENGINEERING TRADES OF MACHINIST, FITTER, TOOL AND DIE MAKER, ELECTRICIAN AND INSTRUMENT MECHANIC WHICH HAVE BEEN SPECIFIED BY THE GOVERNOR AS DESIGNATED TRADES RECENTLY, THAT THEY HAVE 60 DAYS GRACE FROM FEBRUARY 1, TO SIGN CONTRACTS OF APPRENTICESHIP WITH YOUNG WORKERS UNDER THEIR EMPLOY.
FAILURE TO SIGN CONTRACTS OF APPRENTICESHIP WITH THE YOUNG PERSONS EMPLOYED IN DESIGNATED TRADES AND REGISTERING THE CONTRACTS WITHIN 14 DAYS WITH THE APPRENTICESHIP DIVISION MAY RENDER AN EMPLOYER LIABLE TO PROSECUTION,
HOWEVER, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR HAS THE POWER TO GRANT EXEMPTION IN CERTAIN CASES, FOR EXAMPLE, IF HE IS SATISFIED THAT THE YOUNG PERSON HAS UNDERGONE SUFFICIENT TRAINING IN A PARTICULAR TRADE, UNDER SUCH CIRCUI STANCES AN EMPLOYER CAN APPLY TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR EXEMPTION.
THE SPOKESMAN ALSO