XN000022-1983-03-10 — Page 10

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THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1983

DEMAND IN MAINTENANCE WORK FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TO GROW

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THE MAINTENANCE WORKFORCE OF THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY, PARTICULARLY THE COMMERCIAL, HEAVY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES SECTOR, WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN GREAT DEMAND IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

THIS IS THE CONCLUSION MADE BY THE AUTOMOBILE REPAIRS AND SERVICING INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARD OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL IN A MANPOWER SURVEY REPORT WHICH WAS PUBLISHED TODAY.

DESPITE THE ECONOMIC RECESSION AND THE MEASURES TAKEN TO CURB THE GROWTH OF PRIVATE CARS, THE DEMAND FOR MAINTENANCE WORK FOR COMMERCIAL, HEAVY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES WILL INCREASE DUE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TOWNS AND BETTER ROAD SYSTEMS, THE INCREASING USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND THE INCREASE IN HONG KONG BASED COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES OVER THE BORDER, THE REPORT REVEALED.

THE LABOUR FORCE COUNT WAS 13 303 WHEN THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED IN JUNE, 1982, AS COMPARED TO 11 599 DURING THE PREVIOUS SURVEY HELD TWO YEARS EARLIER.

THE AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE IS, THEREFORE, 7.1 PER CENT AND TO MEET FURTHER MANPOWER DEMAND, THE INDUSTRY WILL NEED A MINIMUM OF 542 ADDITIONAL SKILLED WORKERS TO FILL VARIOUS PRINCIPAL JOB VACANCIES IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

THE REPORT ALSO REVEALED THAT THE TRAINING BOARD HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ESTABLISH A TRAINING CENTRE.

THE PROPOSED TRAINING CENTRE, PLANNED TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL IN 1985, WILL BE HOUSED IN A MULTI-DISCIPLINE TRAINING CENTRE COMPLEX IN KWAI CHUNG.

IT WILL PROVIDE ONE YEAR OFF-THE-JOB BASIC SKILL TRAINING TO 310 CRAFT AND 30 TECHNICIAN TRAINEES ANNUALLY.

THE REPORT, IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE, ALSO CONTAINED STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON THE MANPOWER STRUCTURE OF THE AUTOMOBILE REPAIRS AND SERVICING INDUSTRY, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN EACH PRINCIPAL JOB, A FORECAST OF THE TRAINING NEEDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON MEASURES NECESSARY TO COPE WITH THE NEEDS.

IT SELLS AT $12 A COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL.

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