TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1984
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IT RECOMMENDED THE SETTING UP OF SUCH A CENTRE AFTER STUDYING A RECENTLY CONCLUDED +1983 MANPOWER SURVEY REPORT ON INSURANCE+, AND THIS HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL.
THE BOARD NOTED THAT THE ONLY COURSES OF INSURANCE EDUCATION NOW AVAILABLE ARE A THREE-YEAR FULL TIME COURSE OFFERED BY THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, WITH AN ANNUAL INTAKE OF 20, AND A ONE-YEAR, PART-TIME DAY RELEASE COURSE FOR NEW RECRUITS OR RELATIVELY JUNIOR STAFF OFFERED BY THE POLYTECHNIC AND THE MORRISON HILL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE. THE ANNUAL INTAKE IS 160.
WHILE FULLY APPRECIATING THE WORK BEING DONE BY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND INDEPENDENT BODIES IN HONG KONG, THE BOARD SAID IT FELT THAT +FAR MORE+ TRAINING COURSES OF THE +TOPPING-UP+ TYPE WOULD BE NEEDED TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE+.
+NOT ONLY DO THE PLACES AVAILABLE FALL FAR SHORT OF THE NEEDS OF THE INDUSTRY, BUT SUCH COURSES DO NOT MEET THE SHORT-TERM NEEDS OF THE INDUSTRY NOR OF THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY.
+THEY CANNOT BE RELIED ON TO EQUIP STAFF IN A SHORT TIME WITH THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AND PRODUCTIVELY IN THE IR PARTICULAR WORK STATIONS, THE BOARD STATED.
FOR THIS REASON TRAINING OF STAFF HAS HAD TO BE CARRIED OUT EITHER:
* OVERSEAS, UNDER EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP,
* LOCALLY, THROUGH COURSES ARRANGED BY THE HONG KONG
INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR THE CHARTERED INSURANCE INSTITUTE, AUSTRALIAN INSURANCE INSTITUTE AND THE NEW ZEALAND INSURANCE INSTITUTE EXAMINATIONS,
* LOCALLY, BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE LIFE UNDERWRITERS
ASSOCIATION, OR
*
ON THE JOB.
THE SURVEY, CONDUCTED IN JUNE LAST YEAR SHOWED THAT THERE WERE 8 780 EMPLOYEES AT THE TIME. THIS NUMBER WAS NEARLY 40 PER CENT MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES SHOWN IN THE FIRST SURVEY, CONDUCTED IN 1981.
THE NUMBER OF SALES PERSONNEL, PARTICULARLY IN THE LIFE INSURANCE SECTOR, ROSE FROM 1 451 AS SHOWN IN THE 1981 SURVEY, TO 2 453 LAST YEAR,
+THIS REFLECTED THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS BECOME MORE AGGRESSIVE,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRAINING BOARD SAID.
IT WAS ESTIMATED IN THE SURVEY THAT THE DEMAND FOR ADDITIONAL INSURANCE STAFF WOULD BE ABOUT 950 BY THIS YEAR.
THE REPORT IS PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE, AND IS ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT $14.8 A COPY.
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