SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1980
PLANS FOR EXPANSION OF TRAINING SCHEMES
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THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL HAS EXTENDED ITS ACTIVITIES INTO THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR WITH THE SETTING UP OF SIX COMMERCE TRAINING BOARDS AND THE COMMITTEE ON MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISORY TRAINING.
THIS WAS STATED BY DR FRANCIS TIEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL, IN ANNOUNCING THE PUBLICATION OF THE COUNCIL'S SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT TODAY.
THE SIX COMMERCE TRAINING BOARDS ARE THOSE ON HOTEL, CATER ING AND TOURISM BANKING INSURANCE JOURNALISM ACCOUNTANCY AND ALLIED FIELDS- AND WHOLESALE/RETAIL AND IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES.
DR TIEN SAID THAT WHEN THE FINDINGS OF THE 1980 JOINT ECONOMY-WIDE SURVEY ON MAJOR COMMERCIAL AREAS BECAME AVAILABLE, THE COUNCIL WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT ON MEASURES NECESSARY TO ENSURE A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF MANPOWER TRAINING GEARED TO THE NEEDS OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AS A WHOLE.
THE TRAINING COUNCIL HAS ALSO LOOKED INTO THE NEED FOR SETTING UP NEW TRAINING BOARDS AND COMMITTEES TO CATER FOR THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OF INDUSTRIES NOT CURRENTLY COVERED BY THE COUNCIL.
IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, AN AD HOC COMMITTEE WAS SET UP TO CARRY OUT THIS TASK. IT HAS NOW COMPLETED ITS WORK AND SUBMITTED A REPORT TO THE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION.
DR TIEN ADDED THAT THE INDUSTRY-WIDE TRAINING SCHEMES MENTIONED IN THE COUNCIL'S SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT HAD NOW BEEN ENDORSED BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
AS INDICATED BY THE 1979 REPORT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION, THE ELECTRONICS, PLASTICS AND METAL WORKING INDUSTRIES WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY. BESIDES, THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY REMAINS TO BE ONE OF HONG KONG'S MAJOR INDUSTRIES.
THE SCHEMES THEREFORE INCLUDE OPERATIVE AND CRAFT TRAINING FOR THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY OPERATIVE AND CRAFT TRAINING FOR THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY BASIC CRAFT TRAINING IN KEY ENGINEERING TRADES- AND OPERATIVE TRAINING FOR THE WEAVING SECTOR OF THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY. A SCHEME FOR POST-GRADUATE PRACTICAL TRAINING HAS ALSO BEEN PROPOSED BY THE TRAINING COUNCIL.
DR TIEN SAID, THE TRAINING COUNCIL HAS ALREADY PROCEEDED WITH DETAILED PLANNING OF THE CENTRES FOR THESE SCHEMES.→
HE ADDED THAT THE SCHEMES, WHEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED, WOULD GREATLY ALLEVIATE THE SHORTAGE OF SKILLED MANPOWER AND WOULD ASSIST THE INDUSTRIES TO UPGRADE AND DIVERSIFY THEIR PRODUCTS AND TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO SHIFTS IN MARKET DEMANDS.
/DR ANDREW