ENG-1968 — Page 49

EMPLOYMENT

25

14,809 workers, recorded 1,492 orders for workers from employers, and placed 1,522 workers in employment.

A Youth Employment Advisory Service was established in February 1968. Work is initially confined to the preparation of career guides for youths and school leavers. When the guides have been completed in both English and Chinese the second phase will be introduced and talks and guidance interviews given to young people.

INDUSTRIAL TRAINING

In September 1965 the Government appointed an Industrial Training Advisory Committee, comprising representatives of industry, labour, other organizations, and the Government, under the chairmanship of the Commissioner of Labour. On its advice the Government appointed nine industrial committees to report on industrial training problems in the electronics, clothing, textiles, plastics, electrical apparatus and appliances, machine shop and metal working, automobile repairs and servicing, shipbuilding and ship repairs, and the building trades. The chairman and most of the members of the industrial committees are drawn from the industries concerned, although a small number of government officers also serve on them, with a Labour Department representa- tive as both member and secretary of each committee.

The industrial committees have completed their first task of classifying and describing the principal occupations and have, since late 1966, been identifying the present and future manpower needs of the industry or trades,concerned by means of a series of manpower surveys. So far, seven such surveys have been carried out, covering the electronics, textiles, plastics, automobile repairs and servicing, machine shop and metal working, shipbuilding and ship repairs, and the building and civil engineering industries.

Three separate reports incorporating the findings of these com- mittees and their recommendations on how to meet the training needs in the electronics, textiles, and plastics industries have been endorsed by the Industrial Training Advisory Committee and have been forwarded for consideration by Government. Other reports and surveys are in the course of preparation. Each of the industrial committees has begun to consider other important aspects such as training standards, examinations, and certification of skills.