Construction Industry Council (CIC)

Construction Industry Council (CIC)
2 nd Progress Report of Committee on
Manpower Training and Development
Purpose
This paper sets out the main points discussed at the 2 nd Meeting
of the Committee on Manpower Training and Development held on
2 October 2007. The record of attendance is at Annex.
Issues Discussed
2. Members discussed the following items –
• Proposed subcommittee structure for Construction Industry
Training Board (CITB);
• Publicity arrangements for amalgamation of CIC and CITA; and
• Proposed review of the manpower situation in individual sectors
of the construction industry.
Proposed Subcommittee Structure for Construction Industry
Training Board (CITB)
3. Members discussed briefly on the proposed subcommittee
structure for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) with
reference to the corresponding CITA’s committee structure. The
meeting supported the proposal that three subcommittees should be set up
respectively for training, Employers Subsidy Scheme and trade testing.
Members also agreed that the future CITB Subcommittee on Training
should advise on the skill development for training staff to foster
long-term improvements in teaching quality.
4. Apart from the transfer of levy collection function to CIC as
stipulated under the CIC Ordinance, Members also supported the
proposed transfer of the administration, financial and personnel functions
from CITA to CIC or its other Committees so that the future CITB could
focus more on training and trade testing-related matters.
5. Members noted that the appointment of CITB could only be made
after the commencement notice for the remaining parts of the CIC
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Ordinance had passed the negative vetting by LegCo in November 2007
tentatively. Notwithstanding the two-month gap between the dissolution
of CITA and the formation of CITB subcommittees tentatively scheduled
for late February 2007, the continuity of existing operations should not be
disrupted because the CIC, its committees concerned and CITB would be
available during the interim to perform the duties to be delegated to the
subcommittees. The meeting noted that the proposed subcommittee
structure would be considered further by CITB which might also make
adjustments in the light of operating experience and for meeting its future
needs.
[Post-meeting note: The commencement notice for the remaining parts
of the CIC Ordinance was gazetted on 5 October 2007 and tabled into the
LegCo on 10 October 2007 for negative vetting.]
6. Under the proposed arrangement the existing 14 Course Advisory
Committees formed by CITA management would be renamed as “Course
Advisory Panels” and should continue to operate after the amalgamation
subject to review of their operations by CITB at an appropriate juncture.
Publicity Arrangements for Amalgamation of CIC and CITA
7. Members supported in principle the proposal to publicize the
amalgamation of CIC and CITA through distribution of publicity
pamphlets, pamphlets providing guidance on industry levy, display of
posters, advertisements on newspapers and periodicals published by
industry organizations, issue of press release and dissemination of
relevant information on CIC and CITA websites. The total estimated
cost of about $330,000 for the publicity campaign would be met by funds
which had been transferred from CITA.
8. Members suggested that clear explanation of the rationale for the
amalgamation be included in the publicity pamphlets and the opportunity
be taken to publicize the levy mechanism with a view to increasing the
awareness of the statutory obligation regarding payment of levy.
9. The meeting agreed that the proposed publicity arrangements
should be submitted to the CIC Committee on Administration and
Finance for endorsement after it had been fine-tuned in accordance with
Members’ suggestions.
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Proposed Review of the Manpower Situation in Individual Sectors of
the Construction Industry
10. Members were briefed on the background, objectives and general
outline approach of the proposed review.
11. Prior to commissioning the proposed review, members agreed
that thorough consideration should also be given to relevant fundamental
issues including CIC’s vision on the future construction workforce,
including its size and skill set and the need for promoting export capacity
of the local construction workforce. CITA was requested to take these
into consideration when designing the methodology of the proposed
review.
12. Members noted that the Construction Workers Registration
System would help provide more reliable data for monitoring the supply
of construction workers to facilitate manpower planning and
enhancement of the quality of the construction workforce.
13. Some members suggested that, given the low retention rate of
younger trainees, future training efforts should target at adults with
genuine interest in taking up employment in the construction industry.
Some members also suggested other measures and incentives for
attracting mature new entrants including an increase of training subsidies,
providing a progressive career path, targeting new migrants from the
Mainland etc.
14. Members generally support the multi-skill development of
construction workers and took note of over-specialization in certain trades
resulting from the practice of subcontracting works in highly specialized
packages.
15. Members agreed that the initial focus of the study should be on
construction workers, technicians and site supervisors including
examination of the supply and demand situation in short-term (say in two
years) and long-term (say in five to ten years). CITA would prepare for
further consideration the outline of the methodology for this part of the
review. CITA, VTC and DEVB should work closely in conducting the
review for technicians and site supervisors sector given the multitude of
disciplines involved.
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Further Actions
16. The following further actions were agreed –
(i)
(ii)
the proposed subcommittee structure for CITB would be
submitted to the 6 th meeting of CIC for discussion and
would be considered and adopted by CITB after its
formation;
the proposed publicity arrangements for the amalgamation
would be submitted to the CIC Committee on
Administration and Finance for further endorsement; and
(iii) CITA would prepare a paper on the outline of the
methodology for conducting the review of the manpower
situation for workers, site supervisors and technicians.
CIC Secretariat
October 2007
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Annex
Committee on Manpower Training and Development
2 nd Meeting held on 2 October 2007 at 11:00 a.m.
in Conference Room 1201, Murray Building
Present
Members:
Mr Billy Wong
Mr Francis Bong
Mr CHOI Chun-wa
Mr Peter Lee
Mr TSE Chun-yuen
Mr WAN Koon-sun
Mr C K Mak
Chairman
Permanent Secretary for Development (Works)
Co-opted Members: (for agenda item 4)
Mr Paul Chong
Mr Chow Luen-kiu
Mr Ng Koon-kwan
Mr Joseph Tsieh
Mr Jimmy Tse
CITA: (for agenda items 3 & 4)
Mr Charles Wong
Mr Y L Chu
Mr C L Wong
VTC: (for agenda item 4)
Dr Lawrence Chan
In Attendance
Miss Janet Wong
Mr Jack Chan
Mr David Tong
Deputy Secretary for Development (Works)1
Principal Assistant Secretary for Development
(Works)1
Principal Assistant Secretary for Development
(Works)4
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Mr K H Tao Chief Assistant Secretary for Development
(Works)1
Ms Cindy Kwan Assistance Secretary for Development (Policy &
Development)
for agenda item 4:
Mr Jimmy Chan Chief Assistant Secretary for Development
(Works)6
M Joseph Yung Chief Assistant Secretary for Development
(Works)7
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