XN000022-1977-09-08 — Page 2

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1977

DEMAND FOR LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE

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THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE (L.E.S.) OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT PLACED NEARLY 5,800 PEOPLE IN JOBS LAST YEAR AND ANOTHER 5,200 IN THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. PETER WILLIAMS, TOLD A KOWLOON ROTARY CLUB LUNCHEON MEETING TODAY.

DURING THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS THIS YEAR, A TOTAL OF 35,000 PEOPLE WERE REGISTERED FOR JOBS AND 7,000 VACANCIES WERE NOTIFIED TO THE SERVICE.

+THESE ARE GOOD STATISTICS AND THEY SHOW THAT THE L.E.S. HAS AN IMPORTANT PART TO PLAY IN THE LIVELIHOOD OF BOTH JOB-SEEKERS AND EMPLOYERS,+ MR. WILLIAMS SAID.

HOWEVER HE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS STILL A SMALL NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS WHO WERE OF THE OPINION AND UNFORTUNATELY THE WRONG ONE THAT JOB-SEEKERS ON THE BOOKS OF THE L.E.S. WERE OF LOW CALIBRE.

+THE SPECTRUM,+ HE SAID, IS VERY WIDE - WE HAVE CANDIDATES RANGING FROM THOSE WANTING LABOURER OR FACTORY- FLOOR JOBS TO THOSE WHO ARE AFTER EXECUTIVE, ENGINEERING, TEACHING, AND MANAGERIAL POSTS.+

+THIS LATTER GROUP,+ HE ADDED, +ARE DEALT WITH BY A SUB-UNIT OF THE L.E.S. THE SPECIAL REGISTER WHICH WAS SET UP IN 1973 ON THE LINES OF THE PROFESSIONAL AND EXECUTIVE REGISTER' IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

MR. WILLIAMS EXPLAINED THAT THE FUNCTION OF THE SUB-UNIT WAS TO HELP GRADUATES OF LOCAL AND OVERSEAS UNIVERSITIES, AND THOSE WHO HAD COMPLETED POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.

+THE REGISTER,+ HE SAID, IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY BUT EVERY EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO DEVELOP IT WITH THE HELP OF THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER IN LONDON, AND THE APPOINTMENT SERVICES OF LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTES.+

HE URGED THE PUBLIC TO MAKE USE OF THE L.E.S. +ALL IN ALL THE L.E.S. HAS A WIDE RANGE OF REGISTRANTS WITH VARYING QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE, AND I WOULD SAY THAT IN MOST CASES WE CAN MEET MOST OF THE EMPLOYERS' REQUIREMENTS.

*BY RECRUITING THROUGH THE L.E.S.,+ MR. WILLIAMS ADDED, +EMPLOYERS NOT ONLY SAVE MONEY ON ADVERTISEMENTS, BUT ALSO CONSIDERABLE TIME AND TROUBLE IN SCREENING APPLICATIONS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS.+

THE COMMISSIONER SAID THE L.E.S. AT PRESENT OPERATES FROM EIGHT OFFICES SPREAD OVER HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES AND REGISTERS JOB-SEEKERS LOOKING FOR FIRST OR ALTERNATIVE EMPLOYMENT, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THEY CAN READ OR WRITE, ARE ABLE-BODIED OR HANDICAPPED, SKILLED OR UNSK ILLED.

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