XN000022-1982-09-20 — Page 6

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1982

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ORDINANCE ENSURES PROPER TRAINING FOR APPRENTICES

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YOUNG PEOPLE RECEIVING APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING WITHIN THE 38 DESIGNATED TRADES ARE WELL PROTECTED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

HE POINTED OUT THAT UNDER THE ORDINANCE, EMPLOYERS MUST DRAW UP AN APPRENTICESHIP CONTRACT WHEN ENGAGING PEOPLE BETWEEN 14 AND 18 YEARS OF AGE WITHIN THE DESIGNATED TRADES AND MUST REGISTER THE CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT.

+CONTRACTS FOR APPRENTICES AGED 19 OR ABOVE, OR IN NON- DESIGNATED TRADES CAN ALSO BE REGISTERED VOLUNTARILY, HE ADDED.

REGISTERED APPRENTICES ARE NOT ONLY PROVIDED WITH ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, BUT ARE ALSO PLACED IN TECHNICAL INSTITUTES OR THE POLYTECHNIC FOR PART-TIME, DAY-RELEASE COURSES RELEVANT TO THEIR PARTICULAR TRAINING, HE SAID.

*THE IDEA IS TO PLACE EQUAL EMPHASIS ON PRACTICE AS WELL AS THEORY, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IN ADDITION TO RELEASING THE APPRENTICES TO ATTEND COURSES, THE EMPLOYERS ARE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THEIR TUITION FEES AND WAGES, EVEN WHEN THE APPRENTICES ARE ATTENDING CLASSES.

ON COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME, THE EMPLOYERS WILL ISSUE A CERTIFICATE WHICH WILL ALSO BE ENDORSED BY THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING, THE SPOKESHAN EXPLAINED.

+THESE CERTIFICATES ARE RECOGNISED BY MAJOR ESTABLISHMENTS AS A LEVEL OF ACCEPTANCE FOR SKILLED WORKERS AND A TESTIMONIAL OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR CRAFTSMEN AND TECHNICIANS, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT INSPECTORS FROM THE APPRENTICESHIP SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT REGULARLY VISIT ALL REGISTERED APPRENTICES, TO LOOK INTO THE IR TRAINING PROGRESS AND TO ASSIST EMPLOYERS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS ARISING FROM SUCH TRAINING, HE SAID.

THE INTERESTS OF BOTH THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYEE ARE APPROPRIATELY COVERED BY THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

THE APPRENTICESHIP SECTION MAINTAINS FIVE BRANCH OFFICES WHERE ENQUIRIES CONCERNING THE APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME CAN BE MADE.

THESE OFFICES ARE AT: (1) HENNESSY CENTRE, 6TH FLOOR, 500 HENNESSY ROAD= (2) PARIS THEATRE BUILDING, 7 KING FUK STREET, SAN PO KONG- (3) SALISBURY ROAD, TSIM SHA TSUI, OPPOSITE SHERATON HOTEL- (4) SHING WAN BUILDING, 31 SHING FONG STREET, 5TH FLOOR, KWAI CHÙNG, AND (5) YEN HAU MANSION, 3RD FLOOR, 100 TING FU STREET, KWUN TONG.

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