XN000022-1980-03-05 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1980

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THEY MAY BE INSPECTED ALSO AT ALL CITY DISTRICT OFFICES, THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION OFFICES AND AT THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT.

COPIES OF THE SIX-MONTH FORECAST MAY BE OBTAINED FREE OF CHARGE FROM ANY OF THESE OFFICES OR BY WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE CROWN LANDS AND SURVEY OFFICE OF PWD.

PREVOCATIONAL EDUCATION A SUCCESS *****

GRADUATES OF PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY LOCAL EMPLOYERS.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR J N HENDERSON, DURING HIS VISIT TO CARITAS ST FRANCIS PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE SAID THE POPULARITY OF GRADUATES WAS DUE MAINLY TO THE FACT THAT THE EDUCATION THEY RECEIVED WAS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT TO A MODERN INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL SOCIETY AND PREPARED THEM FOR THE WORLD OF WORK. A LARGE PROPORTION TOOK UP APPRENTICE TRAINING IN APPROVED TRAINING SCHEMES.

MR HENDERSON ADDED THAT MANY GRADUATES WERE NOW OCCUPYING IMPORTANT POSTS IN CRAFT TRADES AFTER COMPLETING THEIR APPRENTICE TRAINING. OTHERS HAD ADVANCED TO BECOME TECHNICIANS AFTER OBTAINING FURTHER TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

EACH YEAR, HE SAID, MORE AND MORE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE COMPETING FOR ENTRY TO PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS. IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT THIS STREAM OF EDUCATION WOULD UNDERGO EXPANSION IN THE COMING YEARS.

IT IS GRATIFYING TO SEE THAT PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL GRADUATES HAVE NO DIFFICULTIES IN OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT, HE NOTED.

THE COMMISSIONER SAID THAT CARITAS WAS ONE OF THE PIONEERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREVOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN HONG KONG. PRESENTLY UNDER ITS AEGIS THERE WERE SEVEN PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOLS WITH A COMBINED ENROLMENT OF ABOUT 5 680 PUPILS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT CARITAS ST FRANCIS PREVOCATIONAL SCHOOL WORKED CLOSELY WITH HIS DEPARTMENT AND THAT ABOUT 60 PER CENT OF ITS GRADUATES LAST YEAR JOINED APPRENTICESHIP SCHEMES THROUGH THE APPRENTICE PLACEMENT SERVICE OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S TRAINING COUNCIL DIVISION.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE PRESIDENT OF CARITAS HONG KONG, THE REV F LERDA, THE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL, MR PETER LEE, AND MR HORACE KNIGHT, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR (INDUSTRIAL TRAINING),

MR HENDERSON ALSO TOURED THE PRINTING. CARPENTRY AND HOUSE MAINTENANCE WORKSHOPS OPERATED BY CARITAS FOR ITS APPRENTICE TRAINING SCHEMES.

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