XN000022-1984-11-20 — Page 11

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1984

FIRST SURVEY ON DESIGN PROFESSION

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THE FIRST SURVEY TO COLLECT EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS AND IDENTIFY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DESIGN PROFESSION WILL BE HELD FROM NOVEMBER 30 TO DECEMBER 21.

IT WILL COVER MORE THAN 700 FIRMS AND ORGANISATIONS, INCLUDING ESTABLISHMENTS IN ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED FIELDS, INTERIOR DESIGNERS, ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCIES, MOTION PICTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT FIRMS, DEPARTMENT STORES APPAREL WHOLESALERS AS WELL AS IMPORT AND EXPORT COMPANIES.

THE STUDY WILL BE CONDUCTED BY THE COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, WITH THE HELP OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT DATA PROCESSING AGENCY.

+ IN VIEW OF THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR DESIGN PERSONNEL IN VARIOUS SECTORS IN THE ECONOMY, THE COMMITTEE MUST ASCERTAIN THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS BEFORE DRAWING UP COMPREHENSIVE PLANS ON DESIGN CURRICULUM AND PROVISION AT TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, + A SPOKESMAN FOR THE COMMITTEE SAID.

AT PRESENT DESIGN COURSES AT TECHNICIAN AND CRAFT LEVELS ARE OFFERED AT THE LEE WAI LEE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE WITH AN ANNUAL OUTPUT OF 200 GRADUATES.

+ THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY WILL ALSO SERVE AS USEFUL REFERENCE FOR OTHER LOCAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN FORMULATING THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR DESIGN PERSONNEL, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

QUESTIONNAIRES AND EXPLANATORY NOTES HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TO EMPLOYERS TO BE SURVEYED. THEY WILL BE ASKED TO SUPPLY THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OR APPRENTICES ENGAGED IN DESIGN WORK, EXISTING VACANCIES AND A FORECAST ON DESIGN MANPOWER REQUIREMENT FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT ALL INFORMATION WOULD BE TREATED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND WOULD BE PUBLISHED ONLY IN THE FORM OF STATISTICAL SUMMARIES WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ANY INDIVIDUAL ESTABLISHMENTS.

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