No_5_July_and_August__1950 — Page 38

PRACTICAL TRAINING IN HONGKONG

The quality of building construction work in Hong Kong is of an exceedingly high standard. This is in a great measure due to the conscientiousness of the architects and Public Works Authorities in supervising work being carried out and to the honourable adherence to specifications on the part of the contractors.

However, no little measure of credit is also due to the skill and knowledge of the foremen and supervisers in charge of work upon whom the greatest responsibility rests. The basic training of these supervisers is of utmost importance in the maintenance of the present state of affairs, and this training, both theoretical and practical, is given by the Hong Kong Technical College.

It is perhaps not realized how complete and thorough is the courses in building obtainable at the Technical College. The course which covers three academic years, and is designed to prepare young men for such posts as contractors assistants, architectural draughtsmen, inspectors, clerks of works, and overseers in the building industry. Eight months of each year are spent in the College the remaining four months being spent on works. At the conclusion of the Course students are expected to undertake a two year apprenticeship with a local firm of contractors. Arrangements for this training can usually be made through the College.

The Diploma of the College, with or without Distinction, is awarded to students who satisfactorily complete the course, put in the prescribed time on practical training, and pass the Final Examination. The Diploma may also be awarded to an evening student who completes the five year evening course and passes the same final examination. The Certificate of the Evening Department of the College will be awarded to students who complete the Ave year evening course and pass the Evening Department Examinations.

The instructional work for three years is divided as follows:

Building Construction and Mechanics: 21 hours per week on each subject during the whole of the three years.

Drawing: four hours per week for the first two years and six hours per week during the third year.

Surveying: 11 hours per week on theory and three hours per week practical throughout the three years.

In addition, during the first year, 11 hours per week is spent on Arithmetic, one hour on Terminology, 1 hours on Building Mathematics, and one hour on Materials of Construc- tion. Teaching of the Builders Quantities, that is, the methods, of preparing and taking off bills of quantities for estimating work is allotted 21 hours per week during the second year and three hours per week during the third year.

It is difficult to list out completely in the limited space at our disposal the details of the subjects included in the syllabus, but as an example we might mention that under Mechanics are included the study of force, stress, strain, elasticity, the behaviour of materials under test to destruction in tension, compression, and shear, working stresses and factor

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of safety, loads on buildings due to dead load, live load, wind pressure, use of tables of properties of standard steel sections, and the complete theory of structural steel and reinforced concrete designing for columns, beams, girders, slabs, retaining walls, under all conditions of loading and stress.

In the Drawing classes complete instruction is given on the principle of draughtsmanship, lettering, figuring, constructional drawings, preparation of working drawings and details for all parts of building, to eighth scale, and half inch scale, half size and full size details. During the final year the student is taught to draw up full sets of drawings with written specifications for complete buildings.

The Surveying class is taught the use of all surveying instruments, the hand level, clinometer, aneroid barometer, theodolite and tachometer. He is also taught field surveying included extended exercises in making and plotting chain surveys and the setting out of the complete building site including plotting and the preparation of plans.

The Workshop Programme is a thorough one and includes in the first year, construction of simple brickwork, correct bonding in straight walls, right angled corners, standard footings, and the mixing of concrete to various specifications, curing and testing for compression and the construction of simple formwork. In the second year, the construction of doors and frames from working drawings prepared in class is carried out by the student, as is also the construction of square and circular openings in walls, arch construction, etc. Painting work, including simple mixes, primers, undercoats and Anishes are also taught to him. Roof and stair construction to full size is another part of the work included during this period. In the final year, the student is taught the construction of windows, frames and casements, including building into a wall together with internal and external fifinishings and the require- ments of Building Ordinance in relation to scaffolds, hoardings, etc.

In addition to the regular curriculum there are also evening courses which are more limited in scope, but as the full evening course covers five years and is intended for youths employed in the building industry by day, the subjects included follow the same syllabus and reach the same standard as the full time day course.

At a time like the present when the value of education is stressed and every effort is being made to provide some measure of learning for the greatest possible number, so much is said about general education that the necessity for providing training that will prepare the individual for a useful life and a place in society befitting his station is lost sight of.

Too much emphasis therefore, cannot be laid on the value of the work being done by the Hong Kong Technical College in providing that practical training which enables the graduate to obtain work in which he can find a source of satisfaction to himself, at a range of remuneration, which in time permits him to reach a fairly high living standard, and at the same time guarantees the community a standard of workmanship which is a source of pride and gratification.

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