XN000022-1982-01-08 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1982

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MANPOWER TRAINING POLICY PRAISED

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HONG KONG'S RAPIDLY-CHANGING AND DYNAMIC ECONOMY CONTINUES TO DEMAND AN EQUALLY DYNAMIC MANPOWER TRAINING STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM CAPABLE OF RESPONDING TO ITS CHANGING NEEDS.

THIS WAS STATED BY ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR (INDUSTRIAL TRAINING) OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, MR HORACE KNIGHT, IN A TALK ON +MANPOWER TRAINING IN THE 80'S+ AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON NORTH TODAY (FRIDAY).

IN THE TALK, MR KNIGHT REVIEWED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MANPOWER TRAINING IN THE PAST DECADE AND FORECAST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FUTURE.

HONG KONG, HE POINTED OUT, HAS A SOUND POLICY WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR ANY EFFORT AIMED AT BRINGING ABOUT MORE AND BETTER TRAINING, GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON MANPOWER TRAINING HAS BEEN BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT BOTH GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAVE A CLEARLY DEFINED RESPONSIBILITY.

WHILE IT IS DESIRABLE AND ESSENTIAL THAT HONG KONG HAS THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION FACILITIES TO MEET THE MANPOWER DEMAND OF ITS ECONOMY, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT SUCH FACILITIES SHOULD BE PLANNED ON THE BASIS OF A RELIABLE ASSESSMENT OF THE DEMAND.

SINCE 1973 THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASSESSING THE MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY HAS FALLEN ON THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL, WHOSE TERMS OF REFERENCE ARE TO ADVISE THE GOVERNOR ON THE MEASURES NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF MANPOWER TRAINING GEARED TO MEET THE DEVELOPING NEEDS OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY+.

MUCH HAD BEEN ACHIEVED IN THE MANPOWER TRAINING SCENARIO IN THE PAST DECADE, MR KNIGHT CONTINUED. ON THE COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION, HE ADDED, GOVERNMENT BUILT FOUR TECHNICAL INSTITUTES IN ADDITION TO MORRISON HILL BETWEEN 1975 AND 1978. A SIXTH, AT TUEN MUN, IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 1984.

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE POLYTECHNIC HAS UNDERGONE IN EXPANSION UNPARALLELED IN SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. THE UNIVERSITIES TOO HAVE EXPANDED.

ON THE ADVICE OF THE COUNCIL AND AT THE REQUEST OF THE CLOTHING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES, GOVERNMENT SET UP IN 1975 THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY AND THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY TO ORGANISE TRAINING SCHEMES FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE INDUSTRIES.

/THE FIRST