LCQ19: Manpower training for aviation industry
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Question:
Some members of the aviation industry have pointed out that the manpower requirement of the Hong Kong International Airport is expected to surge upon completion of the project to expand the Hong Kong International Airport into a three-runway system in 2023-2024. It is therefore imperative to train up sufficient manpower for the aviation industry in the coming few years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective numbers of aviation industry-related vocational education and training courses organised in the past five years under the Labour Department's Youth Employment and Training Programme (YETP) as well as by various vocational training organisations (such as Vocational Training Council), and set out in a table the following information of such courses: (i) title, (ii) type, (iii) scope (such as management, security, passenger services and aircraft maintenance), (iv) mode of study or training period of programme, (v) the estimated and actual numbers of students admitted, (vi) the number of graduates and (vii) the percentage of graduates and students who were employed by the aviation industry upon completion of the relevant courses or training;
(2) among the YETP students mentioned in (1), of the percentage of students receiving training allowances during the training period and the average amount of such allowances; whether it knows (i) the average monthly salary and the average working hours per week of such students during the on-the-job training period, and (ii) the number of such students who were offered employment by the relevant employers upon completion of pre-employment or on-the-job training, and among them, the number of those who quitted their jobs within one year after they were offered employment as well as the reasons involved; and
(3) whether it has formulated targeted measures to encourage various vocational training organisations to organise more aviation industry-related vocational education and training courses, and attract more young people to join the aviation industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
To strengthen Hong Kong's advantage as a major regional aviation hub, the Government has attached great importance on development of the aviation industry and manpower training. With the provision of different types of vocational education and training courses and programmes, young people are encouraged to join the aviation industry after graduation so as to complement the sustainable development of the airport and the entire aviation industry. My reply to the various parts of the question raised by the Hon Luk Chung-hung is as follows:
(1) The Labour Department (LD) administers the Youth Employment and Training Programme (YETP), which aims to provide a wide range of pre-employment and on-the-job training to young school leavers aged 15 to 24 with educational attainment at sub-degree level or below. In the past five programme years (Note 1), YETP launched 51 tailor-made training-cum-employment projects related to the aviation industry. Under these projects, YETP collaborated with employers and service providers to design pre-employment training courses lasting for five to 15 days that suited the needs of individual employers. Trainees equipped with relevant basic skills would then proceed to undergo on-the-job training that lasted for six to 12 months so as to continue with the training and have the opportunities to be employed. At the same time, YETP also facilitated participating employers to recruit and nurture employees with potentials. These pre-employment training courses were mainly conducted full-time with some of them in full-time-cum-part-time mode. The course names, areas covered and types are as follows:
| Course names | Areas covered |
| 1. Assistant Mechanic Training Course | Aircraft maintenance |
| 2. Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman Training Course | Aircraft maintenance |
| 3. Passenger Services Personnel Training Course | Customer service |
| 4. Passenger Services Agents Training Course | Customer service |
| 5. Passenger Services Training Course | Customer service |
| 6. Airport Customer Services Agent Training Course | Customer service |
| 7. Airport Ambassador Training Course | Customer service |
| 8. Cook Apprentice Pre-employment Training Course | Airline catering services |
The aforesaid pre-employment training courses offered a total of 960 training places during the last five programme years. Of the 707 trainees who received the pre-employment training, 624 completed the training. 603 trainees were employed to undergo on-the-job training in the aviation industry after receiving pre-employment training, representing 85 per cent of the trainees receiving pre-employment training.
The Vocational Training Council (VTC) provides a number of aviation-related vocational and professional education and training programmes to meet the growing demand for manpower in the aviation sector. In terms of aircraft maintenance, the Higher Diploma (HD) in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and the Diploma of Vocational Education (Aircraft Maintenance) are offered by VTC to prepare students to be qualified aircraft maintenance engineers or technicians. Other programmes offered by VTC, namely HD in Airfreight Management and Global Logistics, HD in Customer Services for Aviation and Passenger Transport, HD in Airport Operations Management and HD in Aviation (Note 2), etc. aim to equip students with professional knowledge and skills in various disciplines of the aviation or airport operations management industry and enhance students' competitiveness in the job market. The aforesaid programmes offered a total of 2 460 new student places during the last five academic years (i.e 2011/12 to 2015/16). During these academic years, around 1 820 students completed the programme. Around 950 graduates of the full-time programmes were employed in the aviation industry, representing 85 per cent of the students attended such programmes.
Furthermore, starting from the year 2014/15 (Note 3), the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) launched the Foundation Certificate in Airport Passenger Services (Part-Time) course to equip trainees with customer services skills required of airport ground handling staff. In the past three academic years (i.e. from 2014/15 to 2016/17), the total number of admission to the course is 29, and amongst them the number of graduation is 16. The course is a non-placement-tied course which does not provide placement follow-up services. Hence, there is no information on the number of trainees joining the relevant sector after completing the course.
Details of the relevant courses and programmes offered by VTC and ERB are at Annex.
(2) Under YETP, a training allowance of $50 (Note 4) per training day is payable to trainees who have completed pre-employment training courses with an attendance rate of 80 per cent or above. Of the 707 trainees who had received pre-employment training as mentioned in part (1) of the reply, 509 trainees applied for and were granted training allowance, representing about 70 per cent of these trainees. On average, each trainee was granted about $470.
In terms of salaries and working hours, trainees who were employed in the aviation industry after receiving pre-employment training received an average salary of $8,200 per month during the on-the-job training period. On average, their working hours per week was 45.
In the past four programme years (i.e. from 2011/12 to 2014/15), a total of 267 trainees were further employed by their employers upon completion of on-the-job training related to the aviation industry. Since some trainees have yet finished their on-the-job training, LD does not have complete information at the moment concerning figures of the fifth programme year (i.e. 2015/16).
LD does not have information as to whether the trainees have left service within one year after further employment and the reasons thereof.
(3) Last year, the Airport Authority Hong Kong established the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA) with the vision to nurture local and regional air transport management talents and further strengthen Hong Kong's leading position as a regional and international aviation hub. It also aims to support the long-term development of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and sustainable growth of the aviation industry. One of the major functions of the HKIAA is to link up with the training organisations and institutions of the aviation industry, and encourage them to offer new programmes and improve their existing ones. The HKIAA will also collaborate with the training organisations and institutions in offering courses so as to provide an adequate supply of talents to meet with the future development needs of the aviation industry.
The first batch of courses of HKIAA was rolled out in April 2017. HKIAA offers courses with a wide range of aviation-related curriculum in two main categories, namely Beginners Programmes and Professional Programmes. Targeting young people aged 16 or above, curricula of Beginners Programmes include introduction to the HKIA and fundamental English courses for airport service providers, etc. which cater for the needs of those who are keen to and have newly joined the aviation industry. Professional Programmes are designed for in-service practitioners and include professional courses covering airport management, security and aviation services, seminars as well as more advanced academic courses, etc.
As of June 2017, the number of students enrolled exceeded 600, and it is envisaged that the total intake for this academic year will reach around 3 000.
To attract young people to enroll in these courses and join the aviation industry, the HKIAA will launch four five-day aviation summer day camps in July and August this year. After completing these summer camps, participants will have a basic knowledge as to the development trend of the aviation industry. They will also understand the functions of various aviation professions and basic airport operations. In addition, the HKIAA will also launch the Certificate in Airport Services and Operations programme in August this year. This programme will not only offer students with a four-week fundamental course, students will also have an opportunity to join a 12-month internship in the aviation industry. The expected intake for the programme is around 80 students. At present, 15 business partners of the aviation community have joined the internship programme providing students with on-the-job training during the internship period. Such experience can better equip students with industry-related knowledge and skills so as to help them continue their pursuits in the aviation industry.
Details on the HKIAA and its courses are available at the following website:
www.hkinternationalaviationacademy.com
Note 1: YETP operates on a programme year basis, running from September each year to August of the following year. The last five programme years were 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16.
Note 2: HD in Aviation is to be offered in 2017/18 academic year.
Note 3: Year runs from April each year to March of the following year.
Note 4: The training allowance was $30 per day before September 2013.
Ends/Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:35
Issued at HKT 15:35
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