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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1985
+SKILLED LABOUR VITAL TO HONG KONG+
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A SKILLED LABOUR FORCE WAS VITAL TO HONG KONG IN TIMES OF INTENSIFYING COMPETITION FROM OTHER DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ON THE WESTERN RIM OF THE PACIFIC BASIN, THE DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, DR JOHN CLARK, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE GRADUATION OF 117 STUDENTS AT THE
GOVERNMENT APPRENTICE GRADUATION CEREMONY, DR CLARK SAID: +IN THE MIDST OF A NEW REVOLUTION, MICRO-ELECTRONICS HAS INVADED THE HOME AND THE WORK PLACE WITH TELEVISION, VIDEO-CASSETTE RECORDERS, COMMUNICATION BY SATELLITE, HOME COMPUTERS, PROGRAMMED WASHING MACHINES AND MICRO-WAVE OVENS ON ONE SIDE: NUMERICALLY- CONTROLLED MACHINES, ROBOTICS, THE SO-CALLED INTELLIGENT' COMPUTERS WHICH INTERROGATE AND CONTROL A WHOLE SEQUENCE OF MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS AND THE 'ELECTRONIC OFFICE' ON THE OTHER.+
NO SINGLE TRADE COULD AFFORD TO IGNORE THE IMPACT OF THE NEW REVOLUTION AND IT WAS NECESSARY FOR EDUCATORS, EMPLOYERS AND GOVERNMENT ALIKE TO PROVIDE TRAINING PROGRAMMES AND RESOURCES WHICH WOULD ENSURE THAT GRADUATING APPRENTICES WERE EQUIPPED TO PLAY THEIR PART FOR HONG KONG IN FUTURE, HE ADDED.
DR CLARK LATER PRESENTED THE BROWN CUP, THE LAISHLEY CUP, AND THE HOWES PLAQUE TO THE THREE MOST OUTSTANDING GRADUATES.
THE GOVERNMENT APPRENTICE SCHEME, A FOUR-YEAR TRAINING COURSE DESIGNED FOR CRAFT AND TECHNICIAN APPRENTICESHIP, IS OFFERED BY THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT. IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE 1950'S. SINCE THEN, 1 562 APPRENTICES HAVE COMPLETED TRAINING.
RURAL FOLK SONGS HIGHLIGHT MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL
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TRADITIONAL HAKKA FOLK SONGS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS YEAR'S SAI KUNG DISTRICT MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 28 (SATURDAY).
THE SONGS WILL BE PERFORMED BY A GROUP OF ELDERLY SINGERS WHO, BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE, WILL BE ABLE TO PERFORM THE SONGS WITH CONVICTION.
THE PRESERVATION OF THE RURAL CULTURE OF THE DISTRICT PROMPTED THE SAI KUNG DISTRICT BOARD TO FORM A WORKING GROUP UNDER ITS CULTURE, RECREATION AND SPORTS COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE RURAL FOLK SONGS.
THE MID-AUTUMN