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The following is issued on behalf of the Qualifications Framework Secretariat:
The Permanent Secretary for Education, Mrs Cherry Tse, said she was pleased to see that the Chinese catering industry had collaborated with a social welfare organisation to assist young people in mapping out a clear progression pathway through training and workplace attachments, thereby giving new impetus to the Chinese catering industry and facilitating the sustainable development of the local catering sector. Mrs Tse made the remarks at the Qualifications Framework (QF) sharing session for the Chinese catering industry and the Scheme of Nurturing Talents for the Catering Industry (the Scheme) today (March 26).
Regarding the latest developments of the QF, Mrs Tse said that the Chief Executive proposed in the 2014 Policy Address to establish a $1 billion QF Fund and use its investment income to provide long-term support for the sustainable development and implementation of the Hong Kong QF, thus benefiting various stakeholders such as employees and employers, education and training providers, assessment agencies and quality assurance bodies, as well as to promote lifelong learning of the practitioners.
At present, a total of 19 industries including the Chinese catering industry have set up Industry Training Advisory Committees (ITACs) under the QF. The Chinese Catering ITAC has developed the Specification of Competency Standards (SCS) which sets out clearly the skills, knowledge and outcome standards required of employees in different functional areas of the industry for formulation of more effective training programmes, which in turn may address the manpower shortage problem of recent years. The Scheme is jointly organised by the Salvation Army and the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades Charitable Foundation Limited, and aims to help young people aged between 16-29 to obtain Chinese catering industry SCS-based qualifications recognised under the QF to join the catering industry and enhance their employability.
In addition, in order to maintain competitiveness and strengthen the professional standing of the industry, Mrs Tse said that the Education Bureau had launched the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanism under the QF for the Chinese catering industry, which provides an alternative route for experienced practitioners to receive formal recognition of the experience, skills and knowledge they have already acquired under the QF. It also helps practitioners to determine their starting point for further learning and progression, and reduces the duplication of training for the same skills and knowledge.
Co-organised by the QF Secretariat, the Salvation Army and the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades Charitable Foundation Limited, today's sharing session aims to promote the benefits of implementing the QF in the catering industry for people of different ages by sharing the experience of graduates of the Scheme as well as the Chinese catering industry of its experience in joining the QF.
Also present were representatives from Chinese catering ITAC, employers, personnel responsible for human resource management, graduates of the Scheme, practitioners of the catering industry and social welfare sector as well as secondary school principals and teachers. Over 230 people are attending the sharing session.
Established in 2008, the QF is a seven-level hierarchy covering qualifications in the academic, vocational and continuing education sectors, providing accessible articulation pathways for lifelong learning. Members of the public can visit the QF website at www.hkqf.gov.hk for further information.
Ends/Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:47
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