INDUSTRY AND TRADE
49
circumstances of Hong Kong and covering general, office, per- sonnel, financial, production and marketing management. The Technical College includes management studies in its full-time diploma course in management subjects and work study, and also offers courses in plant layout, handling of materials, produc- tion planning and control, quality control, work study and allied subjects for those engaged in production work.
New measures have also been taken to meet the equally pressing demand for skilled supervisors, artisans and operatives. They include the appointment of an industrial training advisory committee to assess and review the need for skilled craftsmen, production workers and technicians, and to advise Government on training schemes.
=
To encourage development of facilities for operative training within particular industries the Government has also announced that it is prepared to make land available free of premium for suitable non-profit-making projects.
The introduction of new methods through industrial training programmes for both management and labour is to be co-ordinated and expanded by the establishment of a Productivity Centre under the direction of a Productivity Council. The Council will include representatives of official, management, labour, academic and pro- fessional interests, with an official chairman; an executive director responsible to the Council will have charge of the centre. Govern- ment has accepted, in principle, the provision of a sum in the region of $12.5 million to cover the first five years' expenditure on its establishment. The centre when fully developed will provide training for specialists, managers and supervisors, a managerial consultancy service, technical assistance and a specialist library, and will facilitate liaison between local and overseas organizations.
Hong Kong is one of the nine-member countries of the Asian Productivity Organization which has as its object co-operation among Asian countries to raise productivity. Hong Kong was represented at the Workshop Meeting of directors in March and at the annual meeting of the governing body in December, and various Hong Kong nominees have attended courses of different kinds.
EXTERNAL TRADE
The total value of Hong Kong's external trade, including imports, domestic exports and re-exports, during the year amounted to
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.