XN000022-1986-11-28 — Page 10

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1986

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IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING STRESSED

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WHILE CONTINUOUS INVESTMENT IN MODERN PRODUCTION PLANT AND EQUIPMENT IS ESSENTIAL, IT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT THAT THOSE WHO USE IT ARE TRAINED TO USE IT PROPERLY, THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR K.Y. YEUNG, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG ISLAND WEST, MR YEUNG SAID THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT EXERCISED AN INFLUENCE ON THOSE ORGANISATIONS WHICH PROVIDED TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.

HE SAID THE DEPARTMENT WAS REPRESENTED ON THE COUNCILS OF THE TWO POLYTECHNICS, THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY AND ON MANY OF THE COMMITTEES OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL.

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+CONVERSELY, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER AND NOT A FEW PROMINENT SCIENTISTS AND TECHNOLOGISTS FROM THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS ARE MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES, WHICH ARE SERVICED BY THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT,+ HE SAID.

+TO ENSURE A SUFFICIENT SUPPLY OF TRAINED MANPOWER, THE VTC CARRIES OUT BIENNUAL SURVEYS OF EACH INDUSTRY TO ASCERTAIN CURRENT EMPLOYMENT LEVELS, AND TO FORECAST THE IR REQUIREMENTS AT EACH LEVEL OF SKILL OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

+AS THE SURVEY IS USED PRIMARILY TO GUIDE THE VTC ON THE QUANTUM AND TYPE OF TRAINING ITS TECHNICAL INSTITUTES SHOULD BE PROVIDING AT OPERATIVE, CRAFT AND TECHNICIAN LEVELS, THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE QUALITY OF TRAINING REQUIRED BY MANUFACTURERS AT TECHNOLOGIST LEVEL IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY COMPREHENSIVE,+

MR YEUNG SAID THAT THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD WAS INCREASINGLY FOCUSSING ITS ATTENTION ON WHETHER TECHNOLOGISTS TRAINED BY THE TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS MET THE EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS OF EMPLOYERS ENGAGED IN MANUFACTURING.

+AS A RESULT, THE RELEVANCE AND USEFULNESS OF MANPOWER TRAINING AT TECHNOLOGIST LEVEL ARE BEGINNING TO FEATURE PROMINENTLY IN THE INDUSTRY-BY-INDUSTRY, TECHNO-ECONOMIC STUDIES COMMISSIONED BY THE GOVERNMENT ON THE ADVICE OF THE IDB,+ HE ADDED,

MR YEUNG SAID THAT HONG KONG HAD BEEN SURPASSED BY ITS REGIONAL COMPETITORS IN THE APPLICATION OF TWO TYPES OF RAPIDLY EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY - THE USE OF APPLICATIONS SPECIFIC INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (ASIC) AND THE APPLICATION OF SURFACE MOUNT TECHNOLOGY (SMT).

+NEVERTHELESS, THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT HAS, ON THE STRONG ADVICE OF THE IDB, CONCEIVED AN EXPERIMENTAL SCHEME WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ACQUIRE ASIC TECHNOLOGY, HE SAID.

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