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The Government will continue to invest in Hong Kong's human capital, and encourages employers to do the same, in order to maintain our economic vibrancy and face up to the challenges and opportunities brought by globalisation.
Speaking at the annual conference of the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management today (November 28), the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, encouraged the business sector and professional organisations to join with the Government to foster the continuous development and upgrading of the workforce for a sustainable future.
He said the Government had made considerable efforts, by means of education and the provision of training and retraining opportunities, to maintain and upgrade the quality of the local workforce in the past decade.
"Through our ongoing education reforms, we seek to nurture a self-directed, adaptable and creative workforce with a global perspective and the capacity to absorb and apply new knowledge," Mr Cheung said.
He pointed out that a range of training and retraining initiatives had been launched to motivate local workers to enhance their skills and employability. The Skills Upgrading Scheme, the Continuing Education Fund and the Employees Retraining Scheme, just to name a few, were well-received.
"The Employees Retraining Scheme, to be relaxed from December 1 to cover young people aged 15 to 29 and people with education level at sub-degree or below, will offer training programmes that are more diversified and geared towards market needs," he said.
A Qualifications Framework is expected to be launched within the second quarter of 2008 to provide the local workforce with a clear articulation ladder. Learners will have a better sense of direction in furthering their education and training whereas employers will have a better understanding of the actual level of competency of their existing and prospective employees.
Mr Cheung stressed that the Government had been leaving no stone unturned in promoting employment and enhancing the employability of the local workforce. He called for the continued support and co-operation of the business sector and professional organisations which was indispensable to the continuous development of a quality workforce in Hong Kong.
Ends/Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Issued at HKT 10:33
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