XN000022-1989-01-31 — Page 18

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1989

20,000 WORKERS QUALIFY THROUGH APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME

* * * *

HONG KONG HAS ACHIEVED A GREAT DEAL IN TECHNICAL MANPOWER TRAINING WITH OVER 20,000 YOUNG PEOPLE HAVING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING SINCE THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE CAME INTO FORCE IN 1976.

ACCORDING то STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY (TUESDAY) BY THE TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT, A TOTAL OF 21,500 YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AWARDED COMPLETION CERTIFICATES OF APPRENTICESHIP AND BECOME QUALIFIED TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.

IN ADDITION, SOME 4,930 NEW CONTRACTS OF APPRENTICESHIP, THE THIRD HIGHEST FIGURES RECORDED BY THE DEPARTMENT, WERE REGISTERED LAST YEAR DESPITE THE FACT THAT HONG KONG WAS SUFFERING FROM AN ACUTE SHORTAGE OF TECHNICAL WORKERS.

UNDER

INDUSTRIES TO ABOUT

"THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED APPRENTICES THREE OR FOUR YEARS TRAINING IN LOCAL MAJOR 10,100," A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.

AT PROMOTING AND

THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE, WHICH AIMS REGULATING THE EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OF APPRENTICES, IS ENFORCED BY THE APPRENTICESHIP SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT.

THE ORDINANCE STIPULATES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN 14 ΤΟ 18 WHO ARE EMPLOYED AS APPRENTICES IN ANY ONE OF THE 42 DESIGNATED TRADES MUST ENTER INTO AN APPRENTICESHIP CONTRACT WITH THEIR EMPLOYERS AND HAVE IT REGISTERED WITH THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT.

CONTRACTS OF

APPRENTICES AGED 19 OR OVER OR EMPLOYED IN NON-DESIGNATED TRADES MAY ALSO BE REGISTERED ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS, HE

ADDED.

REGISTERED APPRENTICES WILL BE GRANTED PAID LEAVE AND TUITION FEES BY THEIR EMPLOYERS ΤΟ ATTEND RELEVANT PART-TIME COURSES AT TECHNICAL INSTITUTES OR THE POLYTECHNICS.

DAY

RELEASE

INSPECTORS FROM THE APPRENTICESHIP SECTION WILL PAY VISITS TO EMPLOYERS AND APPRENTICES TO MONITOR THE TRAINING AND TO ASSIST EMPLOYERS IN SOLVING TRAINING PROBLEMS.

REGULAR

PROGRESS

ENQUIRIES ABOUT APPRENTICE TRAINING OR THE ORDINANCE CAN BE DIRECTED TO THE APPRENTICESHIP SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT ON 5-8932341, EXT. 352.

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