ENG-1999 — Page 205

EDUCATION

Management Development

Under the VTC's auspices, the mission of the Management Development Centre of Hong Kong is to enhance managerial effectiveness. During the year, it continued to develop management learning materials, deliver training programmes to managers and trainers and promote management training and development to thousands of organisations. The Business Start-up Centre established under the Industry Department's Services Support Fund provided training, business advisory service and office facilities for hundreds of entrepreneurs wishing to start business in Hong Kong.

Industry-specific Training

The Construction Industry Training Authority, established in 1975, operates three training centres plus a management training centre, a trade testing centre and a safety training centre, offering a total of 7 737 full-time and 77 363 part-time training places for the 1999-2000 training year. Full-time courses are offered to train up craftsmen operators and technicians in the construction field; and part-time courses for the continuing education of in-service construction personnel. The authority also conducts certification tests for operators of construction plants, and offers trade tests and intermediate trade tests for construction workers with a view to enhancing site safety and workmanship respectively. The authority is funded by a levy of 0.4 per cent on the value of all construction works exceeding $1 million.

The Clothing Industry Training Authority was established in 1975 to provide training courses for the clothing and footwear industries. It is financed by a levy of 0.03 per cent on the Free on Board value of clothing and footwear items produced in and exported from Hong Kong. It sets up two training centres to offer various training programmes to youngsters and those currently serving in the industries. In addition, in-house training programmes are tailor-made for individual manufacturers to help the transfer of technical know-how. It also helps the Employees Retraining Board with retraining programmes for displaced workers. In 1999, 3 587 people were trained at technician, craftsman and operative levels on full-time and part-time basis.

Training in New Technologies

The New Technology Training Scheme administered by the VTC aims to facilitate the adoption of new technologies beneficial to Hong Kong industry and commerce. Grants are provided to help companies send their employees to acquire skills in new technologies. The training grant can be up to 75 per cent of the training cost. Eligible training programmes consist of local training courses, overseas training courses, work attachments and tailor-made training courses for individual companies. During the year, the VTC approved 1 416 of the 1 681 applications received.

Training for People with a Disability

Five skills centres, three run by the VTC and two by non-governmental organisations, prepare people with a disability for open employment or mainstream vocational education and technical training. They provide 1 121 full-time places, of which 468 are residential.

An inspectorate unit advises skills centres on administration, curriculum, training methods and standards, and provides guidance on training courses to students with a disability. The unit works closely with the Labour Department's Selective Placement Service to ensure that training matches the demands of the local employment market

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