SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1988
WELL-TRAINED LABOUR SUPPORT FOR UP-MARKET TEXTILES
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THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARD OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL IS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND ESTIMATES THAT ITS MANPOWER AT PRESENT MAY HAVE REACHED 58,000 PEOPLE.
A MANPOWER SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE BOARD FOUND THAT IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR THERE WERE 55,000 EMPLOYEES IN THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY, REPRESENTING A 5.6 PER CENT INCREASE PER ANNUM COMPARED WITH A SURVEY IN 1985.
IN THE SURVEY REPORT RELEASED TODAY (SATURDAY), THE BOARD FORECAST THAT THE FINISHING BRANCH OF THE INDUSTRY WOULD HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL TO EXPAND, WHILE THE OTHER FOUR BRANCHES
SPINNING, TEXTURISING, WEAVING AND KNITTING WOULD EXPERIENCE PERIODS OF BOOMS AND SETBACKS IN COMING YEARS.
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THOUGH THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE WAS BRIGHT, THE BOARD SAID THE INDUSTRY WOULD HAVE
то OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES SUCH AS A SHORTAGE OF LABOUR, STRONG COMPETITION FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES AND INCREASING PROTECTIONISM IMPOSED BY MAJOR IMPORTING COUNTRIES.
"NEVERTHELESS, THE INDUSTRY SHOULD BE ABLE то RETAIN ITS COMPETITIVENESS BY INVESTING IN NEW PLANT AND MACHINERY, AND GOING UP-MARKET.
"THIS CALLS FOR A WELL-TRAINED LABOUR FORCE ΤΟ SUPPORT THE APPLICATION OF SOPHISTICATED MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES AND IN THE INDUSTRY, THE BOARD SAID.
AUTOMATION'
THE BOARD RECOMMENDED THAT EMPLOYERS SHOULD TRAIN 30 TECHNOLOGISTS, 170 TECHNICIANS AND 480 CRAFTSMEN YEARLY IN ORDER TO! COPE WITH THE MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS OF THE INDUSTRY.
THE REPORT, CONTAINING DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS AND STATISTICS OF THE MANPOWER SITUATION OF THE TRADES, IS AVAILABLE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GPO BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL AT $21 A
COPY.
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