XN000022-1979-06-08 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1979

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+THE EFFECT ON DIRECT SERVICES, PARTICULARLY IN THE LONGER

TERM, ARE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO GAUGE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THOUGH WE WILL BE LOOKING INTO THIS, SHE SAID.

SHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD THIS IN HAND AND WOULD TAKE THESE EXTRA NUMBERS INTO ACCOUNT FOR PLANNING PURPOSES.

ON THE WHITE PAPER AS A WHOLE, MRS. CHAN SAID, WE HAVE GOT OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT AND THE PROGRAMMES ARE REALISTIC IN TERMS OF MEETING NEEDS AND RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS.+

+OUR PROGRAMMES ARE SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO THE RAPID CHANGES IN OUR SOCIETY, AND IN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN AND OTHER PROGRAMME PLANS ON SPECIFIC SERVICES, WE HAVE A READY MECHANISM TO REVIEW AND ADJUST,+ SHE ADDED.

FIVE MORE TRADES DESIGNATED UNDER APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE

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THE PROMOTION OF APPRENTICE TRAINING IN HONG KONG TOOK ANOTHER STEP FORWARD TODAY (FRIDAY) WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT FIVE MORE TRADES WILL SHORTLY BE INCLUDED IN THE COMPULSORY APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE NOTIFIED THAT FIVE CONSTRUCTION CRAFT TRADES HAVE BEEN SPECIFIED BY THE GOVERNOR ON THE ADVICE OF THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL AS DESIGNATED TRADES+ UNDER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE, EFFECTIVE ON JULY 16.

THE TRADES ARE THOSE OF CARPENTER/JOINER, PAINTER/DECORATOR/ SIGN WRITER, WOOD FURNITURE MAKER, METAL FURNITURE MAKER AND PAINTER/DECORATOR (FURNITURE).

THE GAZETTE HAS ALSO NOTIFIED THAT THE APPRENTICESHIP PERIOD FOR THE TRADES WILL BE THREE YEARS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS GOVERNMENT POLICY TO PROMOTE APPRENTICE TRAINING IN TRADES WHICH ARE VITAL TO HONG KONG'S

INDUSTRIES AND TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF SKILLED MANPOWER.

THE LATEST INCLUSION HAS BROUGHT THE NUMBER OF TRADES DESIGNATED UNDER THE PROVISION OF THE ORDINANCE TO 36.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE ORDINANCE AFFECTS THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OF YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 18.

/ STIPULATES