Home > Press Releases > 2013 > ERB20 Closing Ceremony cum The 5th ERB "Manpower Development Scheme" Award Presentation Ceremony 7 "ERB 1st" Witnessing the Development Milestones of the ERB in the past 20 years 91 Awards Commending the Accomplishments of Stakeholders

The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) organised the ERB20 Closing Ceremony cum the 5th ERB "Manpower Development Scheme" Award Presentation Ceremony today (5 January 2013) at the Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre. The officiating guests were the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, GBS, JP, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBS, JP, the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms. Annie Tam Kam-lan, JP, the Vice-chairman of the ERB, Mr. William Leung Wing-cheung, BBS, JP and the Executive Director of the ERB, Mr. Ng Ka-kwong, BBS. The event was attended by over 400 guests.

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor commended in her key-note address the remarkable achievements of the ERB in uplifting the manpower quality of Hong Kong in the past 20 years. She looked forward to further collaboration among the Government, the ERB and the business sector in scaling new heights in manpower training and in creating social and economic conditions conducive to poverty alleviation in Hong Kong.

The Vice-chairman of the ERB, Mr. William Leung Wing-cheung highlighted in his speech that the ERB celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2012 and the Closing Ceremony was the finale of the ERB20 Programme Series. Winners of the "ERB 1st" Awards were outstanding partners of the ERB who witnessed the development and achievements of the ERB over the years. In the past 2 decades, the ERB offered altogether over 1.7 million training places, helping Hong Kong people to face new challenges. The ERB also moved with times, implementing new initiatives to cater for the changing needs of the society. In recent years, the service targets of the ERB have been extended to Hong Kong people aged 15 or above with educational level at sub-degree or below. The ERB is now well established, serving as a springboard for 2.6 million Hong Kong people to learn, leap and excel.

Mr. Leung pointed out that the ERB teams up with training bodies, employers and other stakeholders to develop the widest training and employment network in Hong Kong. The ERB now offers some 800 courses ranging from entry-level skill training courses to professional certification courses. It helps some 40,000 unemployed people re-enter the job market annually, and advocates serving employees to pursue continuous learning to upgrade their vocational skills. The ERB strives to ensure the quality of its training courses and to provide timely and suitable training courses and services to its serving targets. The ERB has implemented a variety of new measures, including developing a "Smart Living" job referral platform, establishing the ERB Service Centres, launching the "Manpower Developer Award Scheme", and introducing innovative programmes like "Free Taster Programme", "Learn and Leap - Teen’s Action" Programme, and "Thematic Training and Employment Expo".

Moving into the next 20 years, Mr. Leung said that the ERB will continue to offer diversified services to match the needs of the society, joining hands with Hong Kong people to work for a better future.

The ERB "Manpower Development Scheme" Award Presentation Ceremony has moved into its fifth year. Altogether 91 awards were presented to employers, trainees, instructors and training bodies to acknowledge their invaluable contributions to the ERB "Manpower Development Scheme". As for trainees, 70 nominations were received. Nine trainees were awarded the "ERB Outstanding Award for Trainees" while 10 were awarded the "ERB Merit Award for Trainees". The award winners included a disabled person who battled strongly against adversities, a new arrival who was determined to become a nurse, a mother of a single parent family who was dedicated to taking care of the elderly, and a rehabilitated offender who repented and started a new life. Their stories are good lessons to learn for those who are losing their faiths in the midst of difficulties.

For the employer awards, 73 establishments were nominated. Among them, 2 were awarded the "ERB Excellence Award for Employers", 11 were awarded the "ERB Outstanding Award for Employers" and 18 were awarded the "ERB Merit Award for Employers". The winning establishments actively participated in the ERB "Manpower Development Scheme", offered employment opportunities for the graduate trainees of the ERB, and advocated continuous learning and upgrading of employees. These showcased their commitments to manpower development.

For the instructor awards, 39 nominations were received. Six instructors were awarded the "ERB Outstanding Award for Instructors" while another 5 were awarded the "ERB Merit Award for Instructor". To commend training bodies for their contributions to the ERB "Manpower Development Scheme", 12 training bodies were awarded the "ERB Outstanding Award for Placement Services", while another 6 training bodies each were awarded the "ERB Outstanding Award for Course Development", the "ERB Outstanding Award for Course Management", and the "ERB Outstanding Award for Promotion and Marketing".

The award winning lists and background of the award winners are available on the ERB website http://www.erb.org/5thmdsaward.