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THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1979
THERE ARE NOW 113 TECHNICIAN APPRENTICES UNDER TRAINING.
MR. HUTTON EXPLAINED THAT NEW APPRENTICES WILL FIRST RECEIVE SIX MONTHS BASIC TRAINING AT THE APPRENTICE TRAINING CENTRE OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE WHERE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN ON BENCH FITTING, MACHINE TOOLS, WELDING, SHEET METAL WORK, ELECTRICAL, AIR-CONDITIONING AND VEHICLE WORK.
AFTER THE BASIC FAMILIARISATION WITH THE DIFFERENT TRADES. THEY WILL FURTHER THEIR TRAINING IN VARIOUS GOVERNMENT WORKSHOPS AND PLANT COMPLEXES TO ACQUIRE A BROAD ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE. INSTRUCTORS AND EXPERIENCED STAFF WILL GUIDE AND HELP THEM DURING THE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING.
THE APPRENTICES WILL ALSO ATTEND RELATED ENGINEER ING COURSES ON A PART-TIME DAY RELEASE BASIS AT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC.
DURING THE LAST YEAR OF THEIR APPRENTICESHIP, THEY WILL RECEIVE SUPERVISORY TRAINING TO ENABLE THEM TO TAKE UP THE DUTIES OF A JUNIOR SUPERVISOR.
+AFTER THE APPRENTICES HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE COURSE, THEY WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR APPOINTMENT AS WORKS SUPERVISOR OR TECHNICAL OFFICER TRAINEE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THEY WILL ALSO BE FREE TO JOIN OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS OR THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
+WITHIN THE PWD ITSELF, PROMOTION PROSPECTS ARE GOOD. FROM THE GRADE OF WORKS SUPERVISOR, THEY CAN BE PROMOTED TO INSPECTOR, OR EVEN TO CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER WITH A STARTING SALARY OF $7,810 A MONTH, MR. HUTTON SAID.
MR. WONG SHIU-KWONG ACHIEVED EXACTLY THAT. HE BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A GOVERNMENT APPRENTICE IN 1957. TODAY HE IS SUPER INTENDENT OF APPRENTICES, WHICH IS CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER GRADE.
+FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, I FEEL THAT THE APPRENTICESHIP COURSE PROVIDES GOOD CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASPIRING YOUNG MEN BECAUSE THEY CAN ACQUIRE BOTH THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNICAL SKILL, + MR. WONG SAID.
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL TRAINING THEY RECEIVE FROM THE COURSE STANDS THEM IN GOOD STEAD IF THEY DECIDE TO GO ABROAD TO ATTAIN A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING DEGREE, PROVIDING THEY MANAGE TO PASS THE PART I OF THE COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING INSTITUTION EXAMINATION.
BESIDES THE TECHNICAL APPRENTICESHIP COURSE, THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE ALSO RUNS A CRAFTSMAN APPRENTICESHIP COURSE FOR YOUNG MEN WITH A MINIMUM OF PRIMARY SIX STANDARD. RECRUITMENT FOR THIS COURSE USUALLY TAKES PLACE IN FEBRUARY EACH YEAR.
ENQUIRIES ON THE APPRENTICESHIP COURSES CAN BE MADE BY CALLING 5-778241, EXT. 64.
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