XN000022-1980-01-27 — Page 5

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 1980

MORE INTERESTED IN APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES

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THERE WAS A 30 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF APPRENTICESHIP CONTRACTS REGISTERED WITH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT LAST YEAR.

A TOTAL OF 5 161 CONTRACTS WERE REGISTERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT IN 1979 COMPARED WITH 3 954 IN 1978.

+THIS IS VERY ENCOURAGING INDEED. THE FIGURES DEMONSTRATE THAT EMPLOYERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTING AND ATTACHING GREAT IMPORTANCE TO APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES, SAID A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT TODAY (SUNDAY).

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAD REGISTERED A TOTAL OF 12 791 APPRENTICESHIP CONTRACTS SINCE THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE CAME INTO FORCE IN JULY 1976.

AT PRESENT, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 8 858 APPRENTICES RECEIVING TRAINING IN DIFFERENT TRADES IN 2 461 FACTORIES, HE ADDED.

THE ORDINANCE, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED, WAS AIMED AT PROMOTING PROPER APPRENTICE TRAINING IN DESIGNATED TRADES AND TO REGULATE THE EMPLOYMENT OF APPRENTICES IN THESE TRADES.

BY ENSURING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WERE PROPERLY TRAINED THE ORDINANCE ENSURED THAT INDUSTRY WOULD HAVE THE SUPPLY OF WELL-TRAINED SKILLED MANPOWER NEEDED FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT.

A DESIGNATED TRADE IS ONE SPECIFIED BY THE GOVERNOR AND COVERED BY THE ORDINANCE.

AT PRESENT THERE ARE 36 DESIGNATED TRADES, INCLUDING VEHICLE REPAIR, PLASTERING, FURNITURE-MAKING, PRINTING, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING MOULD AND DIE MAKING AND REPAIR, TEXTILE AND CLOTHING MACHINE REPAIR, AND TELEVISION SERVICING.

UNLESS

UNDER THE ORDINANCE, AN EMPLOYER MAY EMPLOY A YOUNG PERSON IN A DESIGNATED TRADE ONLY IF THE YOUNGSTER IS EMPLOYED AS AN APPRENTICE UNDER A VALID CONTRACT OF APPRENTICESHIP THE YOUNGSTER HAS ALREADY COMPLETED AN APPRENTICESHIP IN THAT TRADE OR THE EMPLOYER HAS OBTAINED AN EXEMPTION FROM THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR.

THE CONTRACT MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE APPRENTICE OBTAINS PROPER TRAINING AND THAT THE EMPLOYER IS PROTECTED FROM LOSING HIS APPRENTICE TO ANOTHER EMPLOYER.

THE CONTRACT ALSO SPECIFIES WORKING HOURS, REST DAYS, TRAINING PERIOD, WAGE AND OTHER FRINGE BENEFITS.

EVERY REGISTERED APPRENTICE SHOULD RECEIVE PROPER TRAINING WHICH INCLUDES ATTENDING A TECHNICAL COURSE AT A TECHNICAL

INSTITUTE ON A PART-TIME DAY-RELEASE BASIS AT THE EMPLOYER'S EXPENSE, IN ADDITION TO PRACTICAL ON-THE-JOB-TRAINING.

ON COMPLETION OF THE APPRENTICESHIP, THE APPRENTICE IS AWARDED A CERTIFICATE COUNTER-SIGNED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABCUR.

THE SPOKESMAN