XN000022-1976-03-25 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 1976

INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ADVOCATED

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THE HON. ALEX S.C. WU TODAY STRONGLY URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO SHORTAGE OF SKILLED MANPOWER, FOR +THE PLAIN FACT IS THAT WITHOUT INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION WE SHALL NEVER HAVE ADQUATE RESOURCES TO MEET THE CONTINUING CHALLENGE WE SHALL HAVE TO FACE.+

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING THE BUDGET DEBATE. MR. WU SAID THE 1.74 MILLION WORKING POPULATION ESTIMATED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY COMPRISED ALMOST ENTIRELY OF PEOPLE WHO HAD NOTHING BUT A PRIMARY EDUCATION AND HONG KONG'S PAST SUCCESSES HAD BEEN DUE TO THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN ON THE JOB.

+BUT THE DEMANDS OF THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE CALL FOR A FAR MORE CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH,+ HE SAID.

QUOTING THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, HE POINTED OUT THAT ONLY 2,500 CRAFT APPRENTICES AND 500 TECHNICIAN APPRENTICES WERE UNDERGOING +ADEQUATE TRAINING+ COMPARED WITH 15,000 APPRENTICES OR TRAINEES AT CRAFT LEVEL AND 2,000 AT TECHNICIAN LEVEL WHO WERE NOT. THE COMMISSIONER HAD ALSO SAID +THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO TO MEET INDUSTRY'S NEEDS FOR ADEQUATELY AND PROPERLY TRAINED APPRENTICES.+

TO MEET THE NEEDS, THE TRAINING COUNCIL WAS ASKED TO RECOMMEND SPECIFIC TRADES TO BE DESIGNATED. AS A RESULT, THE TRAINING BOARDS NOMINATED NO LESS THAN 36.

MR. WU SAID, HOWEVER, THE TRAINING COUNCIL WAS INFORMED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR THAT THE DECISION ON THE TRADES TO BE DESIGNATED COULD NOT BE TAKEN UNTIL HE KNEW WHAT STAFF HE WOULD GET UNDER THE ESTIMATES FOR 1976-77.

HE DOUBTED IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS SERIOUS ABOUT ADMINISTERING THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE SINCE THE COMMISSIONER HAD ONLY ASKED FOR A SMALL VOTE OF $251,000.

AS A FURTHER STEP. HE BELIEVED THAT THE TRAINING COUNCIL SHOULD BE GIVEN STATUTORY POWERS TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF TRAINED INDUSTRIAL MANPOWER.

TURNING TO THE RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC POSITION. MR. WU SAID: THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE BEEN COMPLACENT FOR FAR TOO LONG.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT +ON COUNTLESS OCCASIONS OVER MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS WE HAVE CONGRATULATED OURSELVES ON A DILIGENT, ADAPTABLE AND DEXTROUS WORK FORCE, ALLIED TO A POLICY OF FREE ENTERPRISE AND INITIATIVE.

THIS CONSTANT REFERENCE TO THE NATURAL DILIGENCE OF THE WORK FORCE, HE SAID, WAS BECOMING A DANGEROUS PLATITUDE.

/+WE MUST