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Length of time for retrained workers to find jobs
Following is a question by Dr the Hon David Li Kwok-po and a written reply by the acting Secretary for Education and Manpower, Miss Jacqueline Willis, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
The unemployment rate has increased in the recent months against the background of a faster than expected growth in the territory's labour force. The growth rate of the labour force in 1994 was 3.5%, which was the highest recorded in the last three years. It has been suggested that one of the reasons for this rapid growth in labour force is that most retrained workers take a long time to find a job. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council how long retrained workers take on average to find a job after they have received retraining under the Employees Retraining Scheme?
Reply:
Mr President.
Most of the participants of the retraining programmes who wish to acquire new skills with a view to taking up employment are already unemployed persons. They are by statistical definition already part of our labour force. The length of time they need to find a job after retraining has therefore no impact on both the growth rate of our labour force and the overall unemployment figure.
According to the statistics gathered by the Employees Retraining Board, the average time for a retrainee who is an active job seeker to secure a job after retraining ranges from one to four weeks. As far as those retrainees who seek employment assistance at the Local Employment Service of the Labour Department are concerned, about 60% are able to find jobs within one month after registration.
End/Wednesday, June 14, 1995