Training lays ground for upward mobility of youth (with photos)
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     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, has encouraged youngsters to make good use of available training opportunities to build their professional career path.

     He said this during his visit to a recruitment day for the Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman Trainee Training Project under the Labour Department's Youth Pre-employment Training Programme and Youth Work Experience and Training Scheme (YPTP&YWETS) today (July 27).

     With the concerted efforts of the Labour Department, employers and training bodies, the YPTP&YWETS programme provides a comprehensive job search platform with one-stop and diverse pre-employment and on-the-job training for young school leavers aged 15 to 24 who have sub-degree level education or below.

     "The programme enables young people to better understand themselves and their work aptitudes while enriching their job skills and experience so as to enhance their employability.

     "Under the YPTP&YWETS programme, the Labour Department has been working closely with the training organisations in recent years to organise special employment projects for various industries. Most of these projects are tailor-made training-cum-employment ones with pre-employment training courses.  Upon completion of the pre-employment training courses tailor-made for specific needs of employers, trainees will undergo on-the-job training under YPTP&YWETS for six to 12 months, receiving continued training and employment opportunities," Mr Cheung said.

     "These programmes not only provide job opportunities and basic skills training, but also a ladder for committed youths to build their career path through continuous learning. Take the example of the Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman Trainee Training Project: a successful trainee may be promoted to become a technician, a supervisor, and even an engineer or the management level," Mr Cheung added.

    The Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman Trainee Training Project recruitment day today was jointly organised by YPTP&YWETS of the Labour Department, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited and the Methodist Centre, offering 40 vacancies for the post of Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman Trainee. The project aims to provide free pre-employment training and job opportunities to trainees and young people.

     Successful applicants passing an on-the-spot interview and written test will be provided with an 11-day full day tailor-made pre-employment training course. Upon completion of the course, those with good performance will be employed as Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman Trainees and undergo on-the-job training under the YPTP&YWETS for the first 12 months of employment. They will then be promoted as craftsmen after the 12 months training.

     Since the Aircraft Maintenance Craftsman Trainee Training Project was introduced in 2005/06, a total of 24 on-the-job training classes have been held. More than 380 trainees have been recruited with many potential trainees successfully groomed. Five recruitment days have already been organised in the current programme year (starting September 2011).

     The Labour Department will hold a number of YPTP&YWETS job fairs for young people in July and August, including recruitment days for tailor-made training-cum employment projects, on-the-job training posts and a job fair co-organised with a training body.

     A special tailor-made service package, JOBS GO-GO-GOAL, was also launched by the Labour Department in May 2012 to meet the pre-employment training and employment needs of Form Six and Form Seven graduates in the 2012 double-cohort year. The service package will assist them in obtaining the latest employment information, devising career plans and enhancing their employability.

     Details on other activities of JOBS GO-GO-GOAL have been uploaded to the dedicated webpage at www.jobs.gov.hk/gogogoal. Graduates can also browse vacancies on the webpage and apply for jobs according to their needs and interests. Enquiries on details of the activities can be made on the Labour Department's 24-hour hotline 2717 1771 (handled by the 1823 Call Centre).

Ends/Friday, July 27, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:38

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