XN000022-1987-03-21 — Page 9

SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1987

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BETTER TRAINED WORKERS NEEDED FOR FURNITURE INDUSTRY

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PROPER TRAINING FOR FURNITURE WORKERS IS VITAL IF THE INDUSTRY'S COMPETITIVENESS IS TO BE SUSTAINED, ACCORDING TO THE 1986 SURVEY BY THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL ON FURNITURE INDUSTRY.

THE SURVEY THE FIRST OF ITS KIND CONDUCTED BY THE BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARD, COVERED THE THREE TRADES OF WOOD FURNITURE-CARVING, RATTAN FURNITURE-MAKING AND METAL FURNITURE-MAK ING.

IT SHOWED THAT WOOD FURNITURE WAS STILL THE MOST IMPORTANT AND LARGEST BRANCH OF THE INDUSTRY, EMPLOYING 3 499 WORKERS OR 55 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL WORKFORCE OF 7 614.

THE BUSINESS OF THE THREE TRADES, THE REPORT SAID, WERE IN A STAGNANT STATE, A SITUATION THAT HAD BEEN PREVAILED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

+HOWEVER, THE METAL FURNITURE-MAKING TRADE APPEARS TO BE MORE ACTIVE AND SHOULD HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO MAINTAIN A STEADY DEVELOPMENT, A COUNCIL SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE FINDINGS ALSO INDICATED THAT TAKING THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE, IT WAS FACED WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFICULTIES, SUCH AS AN AGING WORKFORCE, RELUCTANCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO JOIN IN THE TRADE, STRONG COMPETITION FROM FOREIGN-MADE FURNITURE IN BOTH THE LOCAL AND OVERSEAS MARKETS AND RISING COST OF RAW MATERIALS.

+TO OVERCOME SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES, THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY SHOULD UPGRADE ITS PRODUCTS, IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY, + THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THEREFORE, A BETTER TRAINED AND MORE VERSATILE WORKFORCE IS REQUIRED. INDIVIDUAL MANUFACTURERS SHOULD ORGANISE TRAINING SCHEMES TO UPGRADE THE IR WORKERS OR TO TRAIN NEW ONES.

IT WAS ESTIMATED IN THE SURVEY THAT AN ADDITIONAL 180 TO 200 CRAFTSMEN AND 20 TO 30 OPERATIVES WOULD BE REQUIRED ANNUALLY IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO MEET MANPOWER NEEDS.

THE REPORT, CONTAINING DETAIL STATISTICS AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OF THE INDUSTRY, IS ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT $10 PER COPY.

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