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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1975

(111)

(IV)

GENERALLY SUPERVISE THE ON-THE-JOB TRAINING OF APPRENTICES,

INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS FROM THE ENDEAVOUR TO SETTLE DISPUTES BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND APPRENTICES

TO ENABLE THE COMMISSIONER TO CARRY OUT HIS FUNCTIONS, BILL EMPOWERS HIM TO : -

THE

1) REQUIRE AN EMPLOYER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRAINING, (11) REQUIRE AN APPRENTICE TO ATTEND A COURSE OF TECHNICAL

INSTRUCTION NECESSARY FOR HIS TRAINING,

(11) REQUIRE EMPLOYERS TO MAKE RETURNS AND REPORTS,

(IV) SPECIFY THE PERIODS OF APPRENTICESHIP,

(V)

TO LENGTHEN OR SHORTEN THE PERIOD OF APPRENTICESHIP IN CERTAIN CASES.

CONTRACTS WHICH HAVE ALREADY BEEN ATTESTED BY THE

COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO BE RE-REGISTERED IF THE BILL BECOMES LAW.

THE BILL REQUIRES AN EMPLOYER TO GIVE A CERTIFICATE TO A REGISTERED APPRENTICE WHO HAS SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED HIS TRAINING. IT WILL CONTAIN A RECORD OF PRACTICAL WORK PERFORMED BY THE APPRENTICE AND THE TECHNICAL COURSE HE HAS TAKEN AND WILL, FOR THE FIRST TIME, PROVIDE EMPLOYERS WITH A YARDSTICK OF A WORKER'S SKILLS. THESE CERTIFICATES WHICH MUST BE COUNTERSIGNED BY THE COMMISSIONER WILL PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN RAISING THE STATUS OF BLUE-COLLAR WORK.

MR. PRICE SAID: +THERE ARE SOME EMPLOYERS WHO CANNOT PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR PROPER TRAINING, BUT THE COMMISSIONER HAS

ALL EMPLOYERS THE POWER TO GRANT EXCEPTIONS IN CERTAIN CASES. WILL BE GIVEN ASSISTANCE, IF NECESSARY, BY THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

+1 AM CONFIDENT THAT THE ENACTMENT OF THE BILL WILL PROVIDE AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR THE GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT OF THE SKILLED MANPOWER SCENE IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

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