FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 1978
THREE MORE TRADES TO BE INCLUDED IN APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME
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THE PROMOTION OF APPRENTICE TRAINING IN HONG KONG TOOK ANOTHER STEP FORWARD TODAY (FRIDAY) WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THREE MORE TRADES WILL SHORTLY BE INCLUDED IN THE COMPULSORY APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 31.
THE THREE TRADES ARE THOSE OF BRICKLAYER/PLASTERER/TILER, BAMBOO SCAFFOLDER AND PLUMBER.
IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE THAT THE TRADES ARE DESIGNATED UNDER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE EFFECTIVE FROM SEPTEMBER 1. THEY HAVE BEEN SPECIFIED BY THE GOVERNOR ON THE ADVICE OF THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL. THE APPRENTICESHIP PERIOD FOR THE TRADES WILL BE THREE YEARS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO PROMOTE APPRENTICE TRAINING IN TRADES WHICH ARE VITAL TO HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIES AND TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF SKILLED MANPOWER.
HE SAID: THE DESIGNATION OF THESE TRADES AFFECTS THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OF YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN 14 AND 18 YEARS OF AGE.
+EMPLOYERS ENGAGED IN THE DESIGNATED TRADES MUST ENTER INTO A VALID CONTRACT OF APPRENTICESHIP WITH THEIR YOUNG EMPLOYEES, UNLESS THE EMPLOYEES HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED AN APPRENTICESHIP IN THAT TRADE.
+ THE CONTRACT OF APPRENTICESHIP MUST BE IN THE SPECIFIED FORM AND REGISTERED WITH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, SO THAT THE APPRENTICE WILL BE GIVEN PROPER TRAINING.+
THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, HOWEVER, 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, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
HE ADVISED EMPLOYERS OF YOUNG PERSONS IN THE THREE CONSTRUCTION CRAFT TRADES TO PREPARE THEMSELVES TO COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCE AND TO SIGN CONTRACTS WITH THEIR APPRENTICES.
THE SPOKESMAN ALSO POINTED OUT THAT A CONTRACT OF APPRENTICE- SHIP REGISTERED WITH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WILL HELP PROTECT THE EMPLOYER FROM LOSING HIS APPRENTICE TO ANOTHER EMPLOYER.
DETAILS OF THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE OR APPRENTICE TRAINING CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S APPRENTICESHIP DIVISION EY TELEPHONING 5-280545, 3-219285 OR 3-667463, OR BY CALLING IN PERSON AT THE DIVISION'S THREE OFFICES AT NEW RODNEY BLOCK, 93, QUEENSWAY, WAN CHAI PARIS THEATRE BUILDING, 7, KING FUK STREET GROUND FLOOR, SAN PO KONG OR SALISEURY ROAD OPPOSITE THE SHERATON HOTEL IN TSIM SHA TSUI.
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