XN000022-1983-05-10 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 1983

CALL FOR INVESTMENT IN HUMAN RESOURCES

****

THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR E.P. HO TODAY (TUESDAY) STRESSED THAT MEDIUM TO LONG TERM INVESTMENT IN OUR HUMAN RESOURCES WAS ESSENTIAL TO ANY BREAKTHROUGH IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSIFICATION OF HONG KONG'S INDUSTRY.

+MANY OVERSEAS INDUSTRIAL INVESTORS CHOSE HONG KONG TO ESTABLISH THEIR OFFSHORE OPERATIONS BECAUSE THEY WERE ATTRACTED BY THE AVAILABILITY OF SKILLED WORKERS AND EFFICIENT LOCAL MANAGEMENT HERE. IN THE YEARS AHEAD, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO UPGRADE THE QUALITY NOT ONLY OF OUR CRAFTSMEN BUT OF ALL WHO ARE

TECHNICIANS, ENGINEERS, INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS DESIGNERS AND MANAGERS,+ SAID MR HO, ADDRESSING THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES.

HE ENDORSED THE VIEW OF MR H.C. TANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE FEDERATION, THAT THOSE INDUSTRIES MOST ABLE TO PROFIT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD ECONOMIC RECOVERY WERE THOSE WITH MOST TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITY.

WE NEED +HOWEVER, INNOVATION DOES NOT COME BY ACCIDENT. MEDIUM TO LONG TERM INVESTMENT BY INDUSTRY IN OUR HUMAN RESOURCES. THIS WILL, OF COURSE, REQUIRE A CHANGE IN THE ATTITUDE AND OUTLOOK OF MANY INDUSTRIALISTS IN HONG KONG WHO HAVE SO FAR, IN THE IR INVESTMENT PLANS, TENDED TO CONCENTRATE ON UPDATING PLANT AND EQUIPMENT.

+THE GOVERNMENT IS PLAYING ITS PART BY PROVIDING TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING. IN RECOGNITION OF THE GROWING NEED FOR PROFESSIONALS AT THE HIGHER LEVELS OF INDUSTRY, ALL BRANCHES OF ENGINEERING HAVE NOW BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PRIORITY SUBJECT AREAS WITHIN THE OVERALL INCREASE IN THE STUDENT INTAKE OF THE UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNIC,+ HE ADDED.

MR HO CALLED ON INDUSTRIALISTS TO CONSIDER SERIOUSLY PARTICIPATING IN THE ENGINEERING GRADUATE TRAINING SCHEME · RECENTLY INTRODUCED BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL - TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL TRAINING TO THEIR ENGINEER GRADUATES.

+UNDER THE SCHEME, A GRADUATE WILL BE TRAINED TO A STANDARD ACCEPTABLE FOR CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP OF THE HONG KONG INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS. A SUBSIDY, AMOUNTING TO $1 500 PER MONTH AND FORMING PART OF HIS SALARY, WILL BE PAID THROUGH HIS EMPLOYER FOR THE FIRST 18 MONTHS OF HIS EMPLOYMENT. GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE FUNDS THROUGH THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL TO SPONSOR UP TO 550 ENGINEERS THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

IN THE FIELD OF MANAGEMENT TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, MR HO SAID THAT THE HONG KONG MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE HONG KONG PRODUCTIVITY CENTRE RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMMES AIMED AT RAISING THE QUALITY OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT BOTH IN GENERAL AND IN SPECIFIC SECTORS OF INDUSTRY.

/+THE GOVERNMENT