XN000022-1982-04-02 — Page 12

FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 1982

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BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR CRAFTSMEN AND TECHNICIANS

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CRAFTSMEN AND TECHNICIANS WITH RELEVANT ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND PROPER TRAINING WILL SURELY HAVE A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE, AS DEMAND GROWS, THE HON HU FA-KUANG, UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, SAID TODAY.

MR HU WAS SPEAKING AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY OF GOVERNMENT TECHNICIAN AND CRAFT APPRENTICES AT MORRISON HILL TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR ARE GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROVISION OF EFFICIENT TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.

+ IN THIS CONNECTION, THE GOVERNMENT HAS EARMARKED $78 MILLION THIS YEAR FOR THE SETTING UP OF A NEW TECHNICAL AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT TO BRING TOGETHER THE IMPORTANT AREAS OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING UNDER ONE ROOF. +

MR HU NOTED THAT THE ANNUAL INTAKE OF APPRENTICES UNDER THE GOVERNMENT APPRENTICE TRAINING SCHEME HAD INCREASED FROM 150 IN 1978 TO THE PRESENT FIGURE OF OVER 270 APPRENTICES - AN INCREASE OF OVER 80 PER CENT IN FOUR YEARS.

THERE ARE 628 CRAFT AND 192 TECHNICIAN APPRENTICES NOW RECEIVING TRAINING UNDER THIS SCHEME.

HE SAID THAT SOME 900 APPRENTICES HAD GRADUATED UNDER THE REVISED GOVERNMENT APPRENTICE TRAINING SCHEME SINCE 1969 WHEN THE SCHEME WAS RESTRUCTURED TO TRAIN CRAFTSMEN AND TECHNICIANS AT THE SAME TIME.

MANY OF THEM, HE ADDED, WERE NOW HOLDING JOBS AS ENGINEERS, TECHNICIAN ENGINEERS AND INSPECTORS IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE OR SIMILAR POSITIONS IN THE PRIVATE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR.

MR HU SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE LANDS AND WORKS GROUP OF DEPARTMENTS WERE MAKING GREAT EFFORT TO PROVIDE QUALIFIED TECHNICAL STAFF TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS OR TO THE POOL OF SKILLED LABOUR FOR HONG KONG IN GENERAL.

AT TODAY'S CEREMONY, MR HU PRESENTED CERTIFICATES TO 23 TECHNICIANS AND 42 CRAFT APPRENTICES, ALL OF WHOM HAVE BEEN OFFERED APPOINTMENTS AS WORKS SUPERVISORS OR ARTISANS BY THE GOVERNMENT.

HE ALSO PRESENTED THE BROWN CUP TO THE BEST TECHNICAL APPRENTICE, MR PANG WAI-CHUEN OF THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT AND THE LAİSHLEY CUP TO THE TOP CRAFT APPRENTICE, MR MAO SHU-LUNG OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE.

THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, MR DAVID MCDONALD PRESENTED MR HU WITH A SMALL BRASS ELEPHANT AS A SOUVENIR ON BEHALF OF THE GRADUATES.

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