XN000022-1990-10-18 — Page 9

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1990

"WHILST, ON THE FACE OF IT, THESE FIGURES PROVIDE SOME COMFORT, WE SIMPLY CANNOT ASSUME THAT NONE WILL EMIGRATE, OR THAT ALL WILL JOIN THE WORKFORCE," HE SAID.

JUST AS THE CHANGES WITHIN OUR ECONOMY CALLS FOR A SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION, SO THEY ALSÓ CALL FOR A DETERMINED EFFORT IN UPGRADING THE LEVEL OF OUR VOCATIONAL TRAINING, MR YEUNG SAID.

"THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED PARTLY THROUGH THE TRANSFER OF HIGHER DIPLOMA WORK FROM THE POLYTECHNICS TO THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL, AND PARTLY THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIFIC TRAINING CENTRES.'

tr

DESPITE THESE MEASURES AIMED AT RETENTION AND PRODUCTION, HONG KONG WILL STILL HAVE TO RELY HEAVILY ON OVERSEAS SUPPLIES OF GRADUATES IN THE MEDIUM TERM.

IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH MERELY TO BE FLEXIBLE IN TERMS IMMIGRATION POLICIES.

OF OUR

"THE TIME HAS COME WHEN WE MUST START ADOPTING A MORE PRO- ACTIVE APPROACH TOWARDS ATTRACTING VALUABLE MANPOWER.

"IN NORTH AMERICA, WESTERN EUROPE AND AUSTRALASIA, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN COMING HERE FOR WORK, AND MANY OF THEM HAVE A PAST ASSOCIATION WITH HONG KONG.

**WHILE THE JOB MARKET HAS TO SPEAK FOR ITSELF, THE GOVERNMENT IS IN A POSITION TO FACILITATE THEIR RETURN OR ARRIVAL, HE SAID.

MR YEUNG POINTED OUT THAT THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED PARTLY OVERSEAS PROMOTION.

L

THROUGH

THE

"AND, IN THIS CONNECTION, I SHALL SOON BE TALKING ΤΟ INSTITUTE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT ABOUT THE PLAN THEY HAVE CONCEIVED FOR TAKING OUR PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS OVERSEAS.

"IT CAN ALSO BE ACHIEVED BY ENSURING THAT THE CHILDREN OF THESE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN THE RIGHT TYPE OF EDUCATION. HENCE OUR INTEREST IN HELPING THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS TO EXPAND, HE SAID.

0

AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY NEEDS MORE WORKERS

"1

THE PROBLEM OF MANPOWER SHORTAGE IN THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY HAS EASED CONSIDERABLY ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES REMAINS HIGH, ACCORDING TO FINDINGS OF A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY TRAINING BOARD OF THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL.

THE "1990 MANPOWER SURVEY REPORT ON THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY" FOUND THAT THE REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES AND THE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TRAINEES REFLECTED EMPLOYERS' EFFORTS IN RECRUITING AND TRAINING OF TECHNICAL MANPOWER FOR MEETING THEIR BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS.

FACTORDING TO