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Tradesman Trainees Scheme helps enhance youth employment
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    The Labour Department and the Vocational Training Council (VTC) have jointly launched a pilot project on Tradesman Trainees to encourage employers to provide training vacancies for youths with little work experience.

     This is one of the tailor-made employment projects under the department's Youth Work Experience and Training Scheme (YWETS).

     Under the pilot project, if employers engage young people aged 15 to 19 as apprentices for the first time, sign apprenticeship contracts with them and provide on-the-job training in accordance with the Apprenticeship Ordinance and its requirements, they will be provided with support services by the YWETS. Among other things, they will be offered a training allowance of $2,000 per month per trainee for six to 12 months.

     The Labour Department and the VTC will arrange the trainees to attend the department's tailor-made interpersonal skills training course to boost their soft skills.

     Trainees will be entitled to reimburse with the YWETS a maximum of $4,000 for taking relevant courses and examination. Under the Apprenticeship Ordinance, employers are also required to make arrangements for the trainees to take specific technical courses. The YWETS and the VTC will provide full support services throughout the period covered by the pilot project. Certificates will be presented to trainees who have completed the course.

     The pilot project will be implemented for one year on a trial basis, targeting youths aged 15 to 19 and with lower educational attainment and less experience. A total of 500 places will be offered. Interested young people are welcome to join.

     Addressing the project's launching ceremony today (September 7), the Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said the long-term goal on youth employment was to align with the Qualifications Framework which would be launched soon so young people would be able to achieve sustainable development in their careers.

     "In the meantime, we will explore more on-the-job training opportunities that suit market needs to help the youth find jobs.

     "In the knowledge-based economy, young people should be encouraged to acquire professional skills. From our experience in running youth employment programmes, we found that those who are younger and with lower educational attainment will face more obstacles in seeking jobs.

     "The new project will help enhance their vocational skills and encourage employers to engage them as apprentices," Mr Cheung said.

     "The pilot project has so far attracted more than 150 applications since it was launched in August this year, mainly from electrical, vehicle and metal, and printing industries, covering such positions as electrician, vehicle maintenance mechanic and mechanical fitter, and production planning assistant. We will review the project after a year to assess its effectiveness and decide whether it should be extended," Mr Cheung continued.

     The Executive Director of the VTC, Mrs Carrie Willis, said that after years of implementation, apprenticeship was found to be a viable and cost-effective pathway, which provided diversified and quality training for young people who have less experience.

     "Graduates having completed apprenticeship training enjoy good employment, nearing 100%, with 81% hired by the same employers. Apart from alleviating the unemployment rate of young people, apprenticeship training enhances their chances of getting professional training," she added.

     To cater for the market needs and interest of trainees, the YWETS provides a variety of tailor-made employment projects. Last year, more than 20 projects were offered with some 1,500 vacancies, covering aviation, tourism, information technology, education, social services, entertainment and catering.

     "This year, the YWETS launches some new projects such as 'Salesmanship of Digital Products' and 'Cookery Skills' in which trainees will be employed by the organisations concerned immediately after receiving the tailor-made vocational skill training arranged by the department. At present, eight Digital Salesman are undergoing on-the-job training, while 25 cookery trainees are receiving relevant skill training," Mr Cheung said.

     Launched in 2002, the YWETS provides six to 12 months' on-the-job training for young people who are aged 15 to 24 of below-degree educational attainment. As at August this year, more than 23,000 trainees had secured employment through the scheme, while 13,000 found jobs in the open market with the assistance of their case managers.

     Established in 1976, the Office of the Director of Apprenticeship has, over the past 20 years or so, trained more than 50,000 skilled personnel for the benefit of the commercial and industrial sectors.

     Under the Apprenticeship Scheme, the employer provides systematic on-the-job training for the apprentice while at the same time releasing and sponsoring them to attend a course in the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education. Depending on the types of trades, the duration of apprenticeship training ranges from two to four years. The trades under the scheme span different industries, which include automobiles, electrical sector, air-conditioning, lift, building services, construction and electronics.


Ends/Wednesday, September 7, 2005
Issued at HKT 15:30

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