ENG-1995 — Page 155

EMPLOYMENT

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The Employees Retraining Scheme offers a wide variety of day and evening courses for local employees aged 30 and over. The courses fall into four main categories job search skills, job-specific skills, general skills and skills upgrading. Apart from skills upgrading courses, all courses are free and retrainees receive a retraining allowance of $4,000 per month for attending full-time courses. By the end of 1995, retraining had been provided to 105 947 persons under the scheme.

The scheme offers a free employment service for employers wishing to employ retrainees. Financial incentives, in the form of reimbursement of training expenses, are offered under the On-the-Job Training Scheme to employers employing retrainees.

Employing the Disabled

The Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department helps disabled persons integrate into the community through open employment. It provides a free employment counselling and placement service for the hearing impaired, sight impaired, physically disabled, chronically ill, mentally retarded and mentally restored persons.

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During the year, the division launched a series of activities to promote the employment of the disabled. These included exhibitions; presentation of awards to outstanding employers and disabled employees; special campaigns to canvass = -vacancies; presentations to interested parties and publication of quarterly newsletters, pamphlets and guidebooks. With the assistance of Radio Television Hong Kong, a series of television programmes was produced to promote acceptance of the disabled and their integration into the community.

In March, the Governor chaired the Second Summit Meeting on Employment of Disabled Persons which was attended by major employers' associations and groups representing the disabled in Hong Kong. Promotional and publicity activities were launched after the meeting to enhance the employment opportunities of the disabled.

Careers Guidance

The Careers Advisory Service of the Labour Department helps young people choose a career best suited to their talents, interests and abilities by promoting careers education. It also provides careers teachers with back-up information in conducting their careers guidance activities.

The service operates two careers information centres in disseminating careers information through written and audio-visual materials like careers pamphlets, job sheets, slide presentations and films. All these materials are available to the public free of charge.

The service also organises a wide range of activities to arouse the careers awareness of young people. In February, it co-organised the fifth Education and Careers Expo with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council which attracted more than 180 000 visitors. The 14th Careers Quiz for students, organised in November, attracted more than 13 600 participants. Throughout the year, it arranged student group visits to various commercial and industrial establishments.