XN000022-1979-03-23 — Page 12

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FRIDAT, MAKUN 23, 1917

EMPLOYERS URGED TO FOLLOW PWD LEAD IN APPRENTICE TRAINING

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THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. J.N. HENDERSON, TODAY (FRIDAY) URGED EMPLOYERS IN INDUSTRY TO FOLLOW THE LEAD SET BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND EITHER TO START PROPER APPRENTICE TRAINING SCHEMES IN THE IR ESTABLISHMENTS OR IMPROVE EXISTING ONES.

HE STRESSED THAT THE EXISTENCE OF A GOOD TRAINING SCHEME WOULD NOT ONLY RESULT IN A BETTER TRAINED WORKFORCE BUT ALSO ASSIST IN ATTRACTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE UP EMPLOYMENT IN INDUSTRY.

MR. HENDERSON WAS SPEAKING AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY FOR GOVERNMENT APPRENTICES AT THE MORRISON HILL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE.

SINCE THE GOVERNMENT APPRENTICE TRAINING SCHEME STARTED IN 1969, HE SAID, IT HAD BEEN EXPANDED CONSIDERABLY, HE DESCRIBED THIS AS A FAR-SIGHTED AND TIMELY MOVE.

MR. HENDERSON RECALLED THAT SINCE THE START OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME, SOME 459 CRAFT APPRENTICES AND 105 TECHNICIAN APPRENTICES HAD ALREADY GRADUATED UNDER THE SCHEME.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY 513 APPRENTICES UNDER TRAINING CRAFT APPRENTICESHIP AND 125 FOR TECHNICIAN APPRENTICESHIP.

388 FOR

HE THOUGHT THAT THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF THIS OUTPUT REFLECTED THE GREATEST CREDIT ON ALL THE STAFF INVOLVED, BOTH IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT GENERALLY AND IN THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE APPRENTICE TRAINING CENTRE IN PARTICULAR.

DURING THE CEREMONY, MR. HENDERSON PRESENTED GRADUATION CERTIFICATES TO 55 CRAFT APPRENTICES AND 24 TECHNICIAN APPRENTICES.

HE ALSO PRESENTED THE +LAISHLEY CUP+ TO THE BEST CRAFT APPRENTICE. WOO NGOI-CHUA OF THE E. AND M. OFFICE.

20 NEW TENNIS COURTS

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SOME 20 TENNIS COURTS ARE TO BE BUILT SHORTLY ON A SITE ADJOINING THE HONG KONG CRICKET CLUB IN WONG NAI CHUNG GAP ROAD.

TENDERS FOR THE WORK WERE INVITED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE ARCHITECTURAL OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

A PWD SPOKESMAN SAID THE SITE, CONSISTING OF TWO PLATFORMS, MEASURED 18,700 SQUARE METRES,

+A TOTAL OF 17 TENNIS COURTS AND TWO TENNIS PRACTICE COURTS WITH FLOODLIGHTING FACILITIES WILL BE BUILT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+ IN ADDITION, THERE WILL BE MALE AND FEMALE CHANGING ROOMS AND TOILET FACILITIES, A REFRESHMENT KIOSK AND AN OFFICE, A PARK ING AREA FOR 10 CARS AND A SUNKEN GARDEN WITH FOUNTAINS.+

WORK IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AT THE END OF MAY AND BE COMPLETED EARLY NEXT YEAR.

THE PROJECT IS MAINLY FINANCED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL.

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