THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 1986
MORE TRAINED WORKERS NEEDED FOR CLOTHING INDUSTRY
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THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO BE THE LARGEST MANUFACTUR ING SECTOR IN HONG KONG EMPLOYING 262 000 WORKERS, A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL LAST YEAR REVEALED.
BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY, THE COUNCIL'S CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARD PROJECTED THAT THE INDUSTRY WOULD NEED TO TRAIN ABOUT 120 TECHNOLOGISTS, 670 TECHNICIANS, 580 CRAFTSMEN AND 13 700 OPERATIVES ANNUALLY TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE INDUSTRY UP TO 1991.
+HOWEVER, AUTOMATION ADOPTED BY LARGE AND MEDIUM-SIZED CLOTHING. FACTORIES, RECESSION IN MAJOR IMPORT MARKETS AND STRONG COMPETITION FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES HAVE RESULTED IN THE REDUCTION OF MANPOWER IN THE GARMENT BRANCH OF THE INDUSTRY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, + A BOARD SPOKESMAN SAID.
CHỈ THE MOVE BY SOME LOCAL GARMENT MANUFACTURING FACTORIES TO GHIRA WAS ANOTHER REASON FOR THE DECLINE OF MANPOWER IN THIS BRANCH FRON 234 000 IN 1983 TO 220 000 IN 1985, HE ADDED.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SURVEY FINDINGS SHOWED THAT MANPOWER IN THE KNITWEAR BRANCH' INCREASED AT A RATE OF THREE PER CENT A YEAR FROM 35 000 TO 36 000 IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A CHANGE IN IMPORT REGULATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES REQUIRING KNITTED PIECES TO BE PRODUCED LOCALLY, THUS RESULTING IN A DRASTIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF KNITTING MACHINE OPERATORS.
THE FUR BRANCH, COVERED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE SURVEY, REPORTED A WORKFORCE OF 5 700.
DESPITE THE REMARKABLE PXFJMYMANCE OF FUR EXPORT ITEMS IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THE BOARD PROJECTED THAT AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF GROWING TRADE PROTECTIONISM IN THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN, THE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE OF MANPOWER IN THE FUR BRANCH WOULD BE LEVELLING OFF AT AROUND FIVE PER CENT IN A FEW YEARS.
THE BOARD CONCLUDED THAT THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY MUST CONTINUE TO UPGRADE AND DIVERSIFY ITS PRODUCTS AND IMPROVE ITS PRODUCTIVITY TO FIGHT TRADE PROTECTIONISM AND TO COPE WITH COMPETITION.
+THIS CALLS FOR A BETTER TRAINED TECHNICAL MANPOWER,+ THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED.
THE 1985 MANPOWER SURVEY REPORT ON THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY IS AVAILABLE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE AT $14 A COPY.
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