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Response to Policy Address Employees Retraining Board welcomed the Policy Address on the expansion of Target Clientele of Employees Retraining Scheme
The Employees Retraining Board ("ERB") welcomes the Policy Address concerning the relaxation of eligibility criteria for the Employees Retraining Scheme (ERS). According to the Chief Executive, the ERS shall be extended to people aged 15 or above and with education attainment of sub-degree or below to enhance their employability. In order to provide services to more needy people as early as possible, the ERB intends to accept enrolment of new target groups by the end of this year.
At the Special Board Meeting held this afternoon, members of the Board welcomed the new initiatives and agreed that such changes were timely and appropriate to the development of the ERS, so that more people could be equipped with skills to sustain their employment in the labour market.
Up to now, the ERB had been focusing its services to help the unemployed persons aged 30 or above with junior secondary education or below. In response to the Policy Address, the ERB is prepared to accept by the end of this year enrolment of unemployed persons of the age group 15-29, as well as people with education attainment of Senior Secondary and up to sub-degree level, as long as they are not subject to any condition of stay in Hong Kong.
In line with the new initiatives, the ERB will endeavour to make the necessary preparations, including reviewing present guidelines and procedures in course administration, and liaising with training bodies on the provision of more training opportunities. The ERB will allocate more resources in order to offer more training places in the current financial year. The ERB will also work with vigilance to ensure smooth implementation of the new initiatives, and that the existing clientele will not be affected.
Mr Michael Tien, Chairman of the ERB, commented that, "With the expansion of our target clientele, the ERB will seek to partner with more training bodies in the gradual launching of greater variety of training courses so as to tie in with the training and placement needs of our new target group. Retrainees will have a more diverse selection of courses and we can cater better to the career aspirations and placement needs of different individuals."
To ensure effective use of resources, the ERB would implement the expansion of services by phases. Mr Michael Tien emphasized that the Board would continue to use the Employees Retraining Fund (including the Employees Retraining Levy) in a responsible and prudent manner, and that the funds would be used to the benefit of the local workforce.
In meeting the need of the new target clientele, the ERB planned to increase the number of retraining places by 10,000 for the current financial year (i.e. 2007-08), which was approximately 10% of the original budgeted places. Looking forward, the Board intended to increase training places to 150,000 in the next financial year (i.e. 2008-09), reflecting a 50% increase; and to 200,000 in 2009-10, representing an increase of 100%.
The ERB is now conducting a strategic review with a view to upgrading its services and operation. This will include enhancing the content and quality of training, providing tailor-made on-the-job training and other support services to people with employment difficulties to help them find suitable jobs. The strategic review will also recommend working closely with the industrial and business sectors, in particular small and medium enterprises and social enterprises, for the ERB to gain a better picture of their manpower and skill requirements, and to assist enterprises of different trades with human resources development and continued skills enhancement starting from 2009-10.
The strategic review is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. A report will be submitted by the Board to the Labour and Welfare Bureau for consideration. Thereafter, the ERB will seek views from different stakeholders to ensure that its courses and services would fully match the needs of the society, and add value to Hong Kong’s human resources.
As to the pilot scheme of “One-stop” model to improve employment support services stated in the Policy Agenda, the ERB expressed willingness to conduct the pilot scheme, and that they would work closely with the Government and various stakeholders to launch the scheme. The ERB aims to offer more pertinent assistance to the unemployed, and to gain experience through trying out a new operating model.
Should the media have any enquiry, please contact our Communications and External Affairs Section.
Issued by: Employees Retraining Board
Date: 10 October 2007
Enquiries: Communications and External Affairs Section (Tel: 3129 1345)
Post Date:10/10/2007
