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Employment services available to job-seekers
More than 700 people have registered with the Job Matching Programme since it was launched in April, with the number of placements achieved totalling about 210.
This was said by the Assistant Commissioner for Labour, Mrs Angela Ho, during the visit by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, to the Labour Department's Selective Placement Division (SPD) and Local Employment Service (LES) in Tsuen Wan today (Thursday).
The Governor was told that the programme, now available at five selected LES offices for jobless locals aged 30 or above, would be extended to all nine LES offices later.
Since the Special Placement Team was set up within the LES in March to strengthen placement services for local construction workers seeking jobs related to airport core projects, more than 1,000 people have registered and more than 200 placements have been achieved.
The Governor was also told that LES was able to serve ordinary job-seekers within 30 minutes of the appointed time and vacancy orders could be put up for display within 24 hours upon receipt from employers.
A total of 103,700 job-seekers had registered with LES in 1994. But in the first five months this year, some 56,940 registrants had already been received, representing an increase of 19.3 per cent over the same period last year.
Briefing the Governor on the work of SPD, Senior Labour Officer (Selective Placement), Mrs Jennie Chor, said SPD had been working vigorously to enhance the employment opportunities of the disabled.
Promotional programmes like exhibitions, visits to major companies and employers' associations, public events to commend outstanding employers and disabled employees, targeted campaigns to canvass vacancies are organised from time to time.
Mrs Chor told the Governor that new enhancement measures included the production of TV and radio programmes to reduce public prejudice against the disabled, publication of new guidebooks to enhance peer group acceptance and organising seminars targeted at employers.