TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1984
GREATER DIVERSITY IN COMPUTER INDUSTRY URGED
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THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR JOHN YAXLEY, TODAY (TUESDAY) CALLED ON HONG KONG INDUSTRIALISTS TO EXPAND MORE QUICKLY INTO DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY.
+ THIS IS AN INDUSTRY WHOSE EVER DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY HAS VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED APPLICATIONS. + SAID MR YAXLEY, WHEN HE OPENED THE HONG KONG ELECTRONICS FAIR 1984 BEING HELD AT THE HONG KONG EXHIBITION CENTRE.
+COMSUMER PRODUCTS SUCH AS WATCHES AND CLOCKS, TOYS AND DOMESTIC ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES STILL ACCOUNT FOR A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF THE BUSINESS. BUT PARTS AND COMPONENTS FOR COMPUTERS, PRINTED CIRCUITS, INTEGRATED CIRCUITS AND THE LIKE ARE ASSUMING A GREATER SHARE OF THE MARKET, AND I HOPE TO SEE THIS SECTOR EXPAND AS THE INDUSTRY BECOMES MORE SOPHISTICATED AND, AS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED PROCESSES BECOME A MORE COMMON FEATURE IN THE PRODUCTION LINES OF OTHER TYPES OF ENTERPRISE.
+THE SPEED WITH WHICH NEW MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMPUTER PER IPHERALS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN GRASPED REFLECTS OUR MANUFACTURERS' WELL-KNOWN FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY AND I AM SURE THAT AS CONFIDENCE IN LOCAL INVESTMENT CONTINUES ITS PRESENT EXPANSION IST PHASE, THE TREND TOWARDS FURTHER DIVERS IF ICATION WILL INCREASE. THIS WILL OF COURSE ALSO BE HELPED BY THE CONTINUING STRONG INTEREST OF OVERSEAS INVESTORS IN HONG KONG - AN INTEREST WHICH THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT IS WORKING HARD, BOTH LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS, TO ENCOURAGE,+ MR YAXLEY SAID.
SPEAKING ON MANPOWER TRAINING FOR THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, MR YAXLEY POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WERE ALREADY COURSES OFFERED BY THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNICS, HOWEVER, THERE REMAINED A PRESSING NEED FOR LOCAL GRADUATES TO GAIN PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE.
+I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SPECIAL PLEA HERE TO EMPLOYERS TO TAKE PART IN THE EMGINEERING CRADUATE TRAINING SCHEME ORGANISED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, TO ENABLE GRADUATES TO QUALIFY FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE IR PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTE AND TO PROVIDE A POOL OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED ENGINEERS WITH PRACTICAL ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE.
+FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS GIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TOWRADS THE SALARIES OF THESE TRAINEES AND I SUGGEST THAT EMPLOYERS HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN BY TAKING PART IN THIS SCHEME,+ MR YAXLEY SAID.
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