XN000022-1976-04-29 — Page 9

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1976

PROMOTION OF MODERN APPRENTICE TRAINING SUCCESSFUL

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THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DIVISION OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT MADE GOOD PROGRESS IN PROMOTING MODERN APPRENTICE TRAINING LAST YEAR, THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR (INDUSTRIAL TRAINING), MR. H.R. KNIGHT SAID TODAY.

HE POINTED OUT THAT 445 OR NEARLY 65 PER CENT OF THE 691 SCHOOL-LEAVERS TAKING UP APPRENTICE TRAINING DURING THE YEAR WERE PLACED WITH THEIR EMPLOYERS BY THE DIVISION.

+CONSIDERING THE GENERAL EFFECT OF ECONOMIC RECESSION ON INDUSTRY FOR MUCH OF 1975, THE PLACEMENT OF SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN EMPLOYMENT AS APPRENTICES IS ENCOURAGING AND IT INDICATES THAT MORE MAJOR INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS AND EMPLOYERS ARE REALISING THE VALUE OF MODERN APPRENTICE TRAINING,+ MR. KNIGHT REMARKED.

OF THE 691 SCHOOL-LEAVERS WHO BECAME APPRENTICES, 229 TOOK UP TECHNICIAN TRAINING AND 462 CRAFT TRAINING.

DURING THE YEAR, THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DIVISION HAD ALSO HELPED 22 FIRMS EITHER TO START APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES OR TO IMPROVE THEIR EXISTING TRAINING PROGRAMMES.

THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 200 EMPLOYERS IN ALL THE MAJOR INDUSTRIES RUNNING APPRENTICE TRAINING SCHEMES FOR SOME 3,200 YOUNG PEOPLE.

SAID MR. KNIGHT, +WE ARE STILL SOME WAY OFF FROM ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVES OF ASSISTING INDUSTRY IN TRAINING ALL THE SKILLED MANPOWER NEEDED TO SUSTAIN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND IN CREATING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANT TO EMBARK ON A CAREER IN INDUSTRY THROUGH APPRENTICESHIP.

+BUT WITH BETTER CO-OPERATION FROM EMPLOYERS AND A GREATER WILLINGNESS ON THEIR PART TO SHARE THE BURDEN OF SKILLED MANPOWER TRAINING, I AM SURE WE WILL ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES.+

MR. KNIGHT SAID EMPLOYERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN APPRENTICE TRAINING CAN CALL AT THE DIVISION AT ASIAN HOUSE 1, HENNESSY ROAD, 12TH FLOOR OR TELEPHONE 5-278760 FOR ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE.

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