XN000022-1979-07-31 — Page 16

TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1979

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VOCATIONAL TRAINING IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG'S WELL-BEING

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VOCATIONAL TRAINING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR PROVIDING THE MANPOWER NECESSARY FOR THE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND SERVICES, THE ACTING COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. J.C.A. HAMMOND, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

ADDRESSING THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF THE KWUN TONG VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRE, MR. HAMMOND SAID HONG KONG'S FURTHER INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT DEPENDED ON A WORKFORCE CAPABLE OF HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY, MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS OF HIGH TECHNOLOGY AND PROVIDING EFFICIENT SERVICES.

+TO BRING ABOUT THE SUPPLY OF THIS MANPOWER, THE PROVISION OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, HE STRESSED.

MR. HAMMOND, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL, SAID HE HAD A SPECIAL INTEREST IN AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN GENERAL AND APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING AT THE TECHNICIAN AND CRAFT LEVELS IN PARTICULAR.

HE POINTED OUT THAT FOR SOME INDUSTRIAL OCCUPATIONS REQUIRING A BROAD RANGE OF CRAFT SKILL THE COUNCIL HAD DEVISED TRAINING PROGRAMMES WHICH ENABLED THOSE WHO HAD ALREADY COMPLETED ONE-YEAR FULL-TIME VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO BECOME CRAFTSMEN.

THIS VOCATIONAL TRAINING WAS RECOGNISED BY EMPLOYERS AND THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IN THE FORM OF SHORTER PERIODS OF APPRENTICESHIP.

IN ADDITION, THE COUNCIL SET UP SEVERAL NEW TRAINING BOARDS EARLIER THIS YEAR FOR DEVELOPING AND PROMOTING TRAINING IN THE COMMERCIAL AND SERVICING SECTORS.

+I BELIEVE THAT THESE BOARDS WILL SOON RECOMMEND TRAINING ROUTES AND APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING FOR SOME COMMERCIAL AND SERVICING OCCUPATIONS.

+THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BRING ABOUT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE THINKING OF TAKING UP EMPLOYMENT IN THE COMMERCE AND SERVICES SECTORS,+ HE ADDED,

MR. HAMMOND COMMENDED THE TRAINING CENTRE FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.

HE NOTED THAT THE CENTRE RAN A VARIETY OF DAY AND EVENING VOCATIONAL COURSES THAT MET THE NEEDS OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL CONCERNS, PROVIDED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED, AND THAT IT WAS THE FIRST INSTITUTION TO OFFER TRAINING COURSES IN HOTEL AND CATERING SERVICES.

+1 WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE STUDENTS GRADUATING TODAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED EMPLOYMENT WITH VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS AND THIS AGAIN REFLECTS THE IMPORTANT ROLE THE KWUN TONG VOCATIONAL CENTRE IS PLAYING IN OUR SOCIETY, HE CONCLUDED.

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