ENG-1994 — Page 202

EDUCATION

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and fabrication, mechanical engineering, motor vehicle engineering, printing and textiles. Craft level courses, usually for Secondary 3 leavers, are offered on a full-time or part-time day release, block release and part-time evening basis. Full-time and part-time technician level courses are offered for Secondary 5 leavers. In September, total enrolment stood at 9 640 full-time, 15 060 part-time day and 23 200 evening students on 300 courses. About 11 000 people attended 209 short courses to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Full-time lecturing staff totalled 750, while evening courses were delivered by 1 750 part- time lecturers.

In July, 4 511 full-time, 5 258 part-time day and 8 151 evening students graduated from the technical institutes. The annual survey of graduates from full-time courses again found that they were readily employed, most of them in jobs relevant to the courses they had studied.

Industrial Training

The VTC's 24 training centres offer basic skills training and upgrading for craftsmen and technicians in industry, and for clerical and supervisory staff in the service sectors. Over 42 000 full-time and part-time places were available during the year. Trade tests were offered for employees in the building, civil engineering, automobile, electrical, machine shop and metalworking, plastics and printing industries. Five training boards, in association with other bodies, organised out-centre courses to upgrade or bring up to date serving - employees.

The Construction Industry Training Authority, which is funded by a levy on the value of construction works exceeding $1 million, operates three training centres offering 4 500 places. Full-time courses are offered for new craftsmen, operatives and super- visors, and there are also part-time upgrading courses for those already working in the industry.

The Clothing Industry Training Authority was set up in 1975 to provide training centres for the woven garment, knitwear, fur and footwear industries. It is financed by a levy of 0.03 per cent on the FOB value of clothing and footwear manufactured in and exported from Hong Kong. In 1993-94, two training centres trained 8 840 people at technician, craftsman and operative levels on full-time and part-time courses. The authority also provided seven retraining courses for the Employees Retraining Board.

The Engineering Graduate Training Scheme, administered by the VTC, helps engineering students and graduates complete the professional training which will gain them recognition by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers or other professional bodies. During the year, 82 firms took part in the scheme, providing 299 places.

The VTC's Management Development Centre conducts research and development projects and promotes management training. It works with owner-managers and entre- preneurial firms, develops learning materials, and organises activities with management trainers and executives.

Training in New Technologies

The VTC's Precision Tooling Training Centre houses a training unit for precision sheet metal processing. It was set up in 1990 with financial and expert help from the Japan International Co-operation Agency under an inter-governmental agreement.