WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1984
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TRAINING IMPROVES JOB PROSPECTS
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TRAINING AT THE SEAMEN'S TRAINING TEMPORARY CENTRE AT LITTLE SAI WAN HAD BEEN HELPFUL IN IMPROVING THE EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS OF LOCAL SEAMEN, MR FRANK CHAO, CHAIRMAN OF THE MERCHANT NAVY TRAINING BOARD OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
RECENT FIGURES RELEASED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT SHOW THAT THE DROP IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF HONG KONG SEAMEN HAD LEVELLED OFF AND THERE WERE SIGNS THE IR EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS WOULD IMPROVE NEXT YEAR, MR CHAO SAID.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS LOCAL SEAMEN HAD SUFFERED FROM KEEN COMPETITION FOR JOBS FROM MEN IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE MERCHANT SHIPPING REGULATIONS AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS SEMINAR, MR CHAO SAID THE IMPROVED SITUATION WAS PARTLY DUE TO THE TRAINING OFFERED AT THE TEMPORARY CENTRE.
THE TRAINING BOARD BELIEVED THAT TRAINING AT THE CENTRE WOULD UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF HONG KONG SEAMEN AND IMPROVE VTTE IR COMPETITIVENESS, HE ADDED.
THE CENTRE WAS ESTABLISHED TO ENABLE LOCAL SEAMEN TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION'S CONVENTION ON THE STANDARDS OF TRAINING, CERTIFICATION AND WATCHKEEPING FOR SEAFARERS, WHICH STIPULATES THAT A SEAMAN MUST OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE QUALIFYING HIM TO TAKE UP NAVIGATIONAL AND WATCHKEEPING DUTIES ON BOARD SHIPS.
ABOUT 500 SEAMEN HAVE COMPLETED TRAINING AT THE CENTRE SINCE ITS OPENING IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR.
NEARLY ALL OF THEM HAVE OBTAINED CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, AND THE REST WILL GET THE IRS AFTER GAINING THE NECESSARY SEAFARING EXPERIENCE.
MR CHAO URGED EMPLOYERS AND EXECUTIVES OF SHIPPING COMPANIES
TO SEND THEIR CREWS FOR TRAINING AT THE CENTRE.
MR CHAO PLEDGED THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY'S SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSAL OF ESTABLISHING A PERMANENT TRAINING CENTRE SO THAT COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR NEW ENTRANTS TO THE SEAFARING PROFESSION.
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