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The Labour Department's new job centres in Sheung Shui and Yuen Long were officially opened today (November 13) by the Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Stephen Ip.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Ip said that Hong Kong's unemployment rate had dropped from a peak of 8.6% in mid-2003 to the latest 4.7%. More than 300,000 new jobs had been created during the period while total employment had also increased to a record high of nearly 3.5 million.
"The mismatch in human resources brought by the structural change in the economy still needs to be addressed. The Government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to promote employment on all fronts.
"We will strive to improve the business environment and allocate resources to our works projects to create more job opportunities. The Labour Department will continue to intensify its employment services and promote its employment programmes to assist the middle-aged, youngsters and people with a disability.
"The Sheung Shui and the Yuen Long Job Centres will help enhance employment services in these remote districts. The total number of job centres of the Labour Department has increased from 10 to 12.
"The department will actively assist job-seekers of different strata, ages and needs to secure employment through its job centres, Interactive Employment Service website, telephone employment service and special employment programmes," he said.
The two new job centres have been operating since the end of this September. They provide comprehensive employment services to job-seekers, including updated information on job vacancies, job referral service, job-matching service, employment briefings and district-based job fairs.
The centres are equipped with modern facilities to provide one-stop, diversified and free employment services for job-seekers.
In October, the two new centres received 3,335 local vacancies, thus enabling more local residents to find jobs in the vicinity.
The Sheung Shui Job Centre is located at Units 2001-2006, Level 20, Landmark North, 39 Lung Sum Avenue, Sheung Shui (telephone: 3692 4532), next to Sheung Shui KCR Station. The Yuen Long Job Centre is situated on the second floor of Yuen Long Centre, 55 Sau Fu Street, Yuen Long (tel: 3692 5750), opposite Tai Kiu Market.
The opening hours of the job centres are:
Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm
Saturday 9am to noon
Ends/Monday, November 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:35
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