XN000022-1974-11-13 — Page 14

· 13 -

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1974.

INDUSTRIAL TRAINING

*****

THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. IAN PRICE TODAY ANNOUNCED PLANS BY THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE WAYS OF TRAINING TECHNOLOGISTS LOCALLY.

+IN THE PAST, HE SAID, +POST-GRADUATE TRAINING OF TECHNOLOGISTS HAD TO BE OBTAINED OVERSEAS. BUT OPPORTUNITIES THERE ARE NOW DIMINISHING, AND ALTERNATIVES HAVE TO BE FOUND.+

HE SAID THE COUNCIL HAD ALSO STARTED INVESTIGATING THE TRAINING NEEDS OF THE COMMERCE AND SERVICES SECTORS, AS WELL AS UPDATING THE MANPOWER SURVEYS IN INDUSTRY CARRIED OUT BY ITS FORERUNNER, INDUSTRIAL TRAINING ADVISORY COUNCIL.

HE REPORTED ENCOURAGING PROGRESS IN THE APPRENTICESHIP FIELD, WHERE ABOUT 180 EMPLOYERS HAD NOW BEEN HELPED TO ESTABLISH MODERN APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES BY THE DEPARTMENT'S INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DIVISION.

THE DIVISION HAD ALREADY PLACED ABOUT 2,500 SUITABLE YOUNG MEN IN THESE SCHEMES.

MR. PRICE SAID THE DIVISION - WHICH SERVICES THE HKTC COMPLEX OF 15 BOARDS AND COMMITTEES WAS HAVING PROBLEMS RECRUITING SUITABLE STAFF.

+THIS STAFF SHORTAGE HAD IMPOSED A TREMENDOUS BURDEN ON PRESENT OFFICERS OF THE DIVISION, AND ONLY THEIR RESOLUTION AND ENTHUSIASM HAVE MAINTAINED THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE COUNCIL,+ HE SAID.

/14 .....