Budget Speech

Strengthening Manpower Training for Our Industries

65.      To support the development of the six industries, the Vocational Training Council and various tertiary institutions have been offering programmes to nurture talent. For example, the Vocational Training Council provided an additional 210 places in its higher diploma programmes on testing and certification as well as environmental and related studies in the 2009 academic year, and will provide 310 additional places in the 2010 academic year. Upon commissioning of its new campus in Tseung Kwan O in the 2010 academic year, the Hong Kong Design Institute will provide about 4 500 places for training design students. The Academy of Film recently established by the Hong Kong Baptist University, and the various design and creative media programmes to be launched at the end of this year by the Hong Kong campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design situated at the former North Kowloon Magistracy, will help nurture more creative talent for Hong Kong.

66.      To get a better grasp of the manpower situation of the six industries, we will conduct another round of manpower projection in the first half of this year. The relevant policy bureaux will implement appropriate measures and ensure the provision of suitable training in light of the findings. We will ensure that there will be sufficient manpower and professionals to meet the development needs of the industries.

67.      In addition, under the Qualifications Framework we have already set up industry training advisory committees for 13 sectors, covering about 30 per cent of the labour force. These committees set out the skills, knowledge and outcome standards required of employees in those sectors to encourage training providers to design training courses that meet the needs of the sectors. We will further promote the Qualifications Framework to enhance vocational education and training relevant to the industries.

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