XN000022-1984-04-24 — Page 11

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1964

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ACCORDING TO THE JUST-PUBLISHED 1983 MANPOWER SURVEY OF THE JEWELLERY INDUSTRY, MOST JEWELLERY APPRENTICES LEARN THEIR SKILLS WHILE ON THE JOB. VERY FEW APPRENTICES ARE GIVEN ORGANISED TRAINING AND COMPLEMENTARY TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

+THE LACK OF ORGANISED TRAINING WILL AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE JEWELLERY INDUSTRY IN THE LIGHT OF THE STEADY GROWTH OF ITS EXPORT TRADE IN RECENT YEARS,+ MR HUI SAID.

TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE WORLD MARKET, TECHNICIANS AND CRAFTSMEN SUCH AS JEWELLERY DESIGNERS AND GOLDSMITHS SHOULD BE WELL-TRAINED AND PREPARED FOR THE APPLICATION OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY IN JEWELLERY MAKING, HE ADDED.

THE REPORT ALSO POINTS OUT THAT THE SHORTAGE OF SKILLED CRAFTSMEN HAS LED TO +POACHING+ IN THE INDUSTRY.

AT THE TIME OF THE SURVEY THERE WERE 134 VACANCIES AT CRAFT LEVEL.

THE FORECAST ANNUAL GROWTH RATES OF MANPOWER AT TECHNICIAN AND CRAFT LEVELS ARE FOUR PER CENT FOR THIS YEAR AND SIX PER CENT FOR 1985.

THE SURVEY REPORT ALSO CONTAINS OTHER MANPOWER DATA OF THE JEWELLERY INDUSTRY. IT IS ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT $10 A COPY.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

TUEN MUN INDUSTRIAL SURVEY RESULTS

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DETAILS OF A SURVEY ON INDUSTRIES IN TUEN MUN WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AT 10.30 AM ON THURSDAY (APRIL 26).

THE TUEN MUN INDUSTRIAL SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED BY A WORKING GROUP OF THE LOCAL DISTRICT BOARD'S COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY COMMITTEE.

PRESENT AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKING GROUP, MR YAU HON-TIM: THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT OFFICER, MR CHRISTOPHER WONG; THE CHIEF TOWN PLANNER OF NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, MR RICHARD CHENG; THE PRINCIPAL TRADE OFFICER OF INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, MR PATRICK LAU; THE MANAGER OF HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, MR PETER CHING AND THE SENIOR ESTATE SURVEYOR OF LANDS OFFICE, MR VICTOR CHAN.

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE BOARD'S SECRETARIAT ON THE NINTH FLOOR OF FOO YICK COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN SAN ON CIRCUIT.

A GOVERNMENT VEHICLE, AM 5797, WILL LEAVE KOWLOON PUBLIC PIER

AT 9.30 AM SHARP ON THURSDAY FOR TUEN MUN.

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