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CHAPTER
5
EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES
The
Programme of Employment Services
(http://www.labour.gov.hk/text/eng/service/index.htm)
5.1
Unemployment remains the foremost concern of the Labour Department
in 2003. To complement the job creation efforts of the Government,
we give every assistance to local job-seekers, particularly the
more vulnerable groups. The objective of the Employment Services
Programme is to provide a comprehensive range of free and efficient
employment assistance and counselling services to help job-seekers
find suitable jobs and employers fill their vacancies. We achieve
this by:
- providing
user-friendly employment services to employers and job-seekers;
- offering
intensive employment-related assistance and personal service
to vulnerable groups of unemployed people;
- assisting
young people to enhance their employability and advising them
on careers choice;
- regulating
local employment agencies;
- safeguarding
the interests of local employees employed by employers outside
Hong Kong to work in other territories; and
- ensuring
that employment opportunities for local workers are not adversely
affected by abuse of the labour importation scheme.
Vacancy
search terminals at a job centre.
Members
of the Task Force on Employment visiting the Kowloon West Job
Centre.
5.2
The two principal legislation administered by this programme area
are the Employment Agency Regulations made under the Employment
Ordinance and the Contracts for Employment Outside Hong Kong Ordinance.
5.3
The Employment Agency Regulations, together with the Part XII
of the Employment Ordinance, regulate the operation of employment
agencies in Hong Kong through a licensing system, inspection,
investigation and prosecution.
5.4
The Contracts for Employment Outside Hong Kong Ordinance safeguards
the interests of local manual workers and those non-manual employees
with monthly wages not exceeding $20,000 who are recruited by
employers outside Hong Kong to work in other territories through
the attestation of employment contracts for these jobs.
Our
Work and Achievements in 2003
Employment
Situation in Hong Kong
5.5
The labour market remained generally slack in 2003. For data on
labour force, unemployment rate and underemployment rate, please
visit the following webpage: http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/fas/labour/ghs/labour1_index.html.
Key
Indicators of Work
5.6 In spite
of the difficult times, our untiring efforts and good performance
have been widely recognised. Although unemployment rate remained
at a high level, the department achieved a record high of 66
100 placements in the year. (Figures
5.1 and 5.2)
A
Wider Service Choice
Services
offered at Job Centres
5.7
Job-seekers
can select suitable vacancies and seek referral service at all
job centres. Modern facilities such as digital display system,
self-service touch-screen vacancy search terminals, fax machines,
toll-free telephones, computers connected to the Internet and
a careers information corner are available.
User-friendly
facilities for job-seekers at all job centres.
The
Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Donald Tsang, trying out
the facilities at a job centre. On his right is the Permanent
Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr. Matthew Cheung
Kin-chung.
5.8
Through the Job Matching Programme, placement officers will help
job-seekers evaluate their academic qualifications, job skills,
work experience and job preferences, and encourage them to look
for suitable jobs actively. Placement officers will also introduce
suitable retraining courses to job-seekers where appropriate.
A
placement officer rendering employment counselling services to a
job-seeker under the Job Matching Programme.
Telephone
Employment Service
5.9
Registered job-seekers may call our Telephone Employment Service
Centre at 2969 0888 for job referral service. Through
conference calls, staff of the centre can make arrangement for
job-seekers to talk to employers directly.
Internet
Employment Service
5.10
Our Interactive Employment Service (iES) website (http://www.jobs.gov.hk)
provides round-the-clock Internet employment service. The iES
is one of the most popular government websites in Hong Kong, accounting
for about one-third of the page views for all government websites.
In 2003, the iES achieved a record number of 621 million page
views, a significant increase of 216 per cent over 2002. It hyperlinks
with nine leading employment websites in Hong Kong and hosts a
number of dedicated webpages for specific clientele groups. The
website was redesigned in 2003 to provide better navigation for
members of the public. Also, the webpage on information on employment
in the Mainland was revamped in the year to provide more comprehensive
information to job-seekers.
The
highly popular Interactive Employment Service website.
Central
Processing of Job Vacancies
5.11
Employers who need to recruit staff can send their vacancy information
to our Job Vacancy Processing Centre by fax (2566 3331)
or telephone (2503 3377) or Internet (http://www.jobs.gov.hk).
Vacancy information will be posted at all job centres and uploaded
onto the iES through computer network in one working day.
Special
Recruitment Functions and Promotional Activities
5.12
We organise a variety of activities to promote our employment
services. Visits and briefings are conducted to appeal for vacancies
from employers. Recruitment seminars and job fairs are held to
facilitate job-seekers and employers to meet and communicate directly.
In 2003, these special recruitment and promotional activities
included territory-wide large-scale job fairs as well as thematic
functions such as "Recruitment Forum for Property Management"
and "Recruitment for the Re-employment Training Programme
for the Middle-aged". These activities reached out to about
77 500 job-seekers and employers.
Intensified
Services to the Most Needy
Serving
the Middle-aged Job-seekers
5.13
The Re-employment Training Programme for the Middle-aged was launched
in May 2003 to provide intensive employment service to job-seekers
aged 40 or above who had been unemployed for three months. Employers
who engage a participant of the programme in full-time permanent
posts and offer him on-the-job training will receive a training
allowance of $1,500 per month, for up to three months. During
the year, 2 048 placements were achieved through the programme.
Recruitment
activities for the Re-employment Training Programme for the Middle-aged.
Serving
Local Domestic Helpers
5.14
In 2003, we continued to publicise our dedicated employment services
for local domestic helpers. Through the website of the iES, roving
exhibitions, job fairs and many other promotional efforts, the
service was widely introduced in different parts of the territory.
Serving
New Arrivals
5.15
Through our 11 job centres, including the two Employment and Guidance
Centres for New Arrivals in Shau Kei Wan and Mong Kok, we provide
a comprehensive range of employment service to new arrivals.
Serving
Workers affected by Large-scale Retrenchment
5.16
We assign special counters at the job centres or render on-the-spot
employment services to workers affected by major retrenchments.
In 2003, the service reached out to 2 715 retrenched
workers of 21 companies.
Serving
the University Graduates of 2003
5.17
The Graduate Employment Training Scheme was launched on 1 August
2003 in conjunction with seven local universities to place fresh
graduates into training posts under the scheme. Employers providing
on-the-job training for these graduates received a training subsidy
of $2,000 for six months. Up to 31 December 2003, more than 1
100 graduates had been placed under the scheme.
Serving
Job-seekers with a Disability
5.18
The
Selective Placement Division (SPD) provides personalised counselling,
employment services and referrals to tailor-made retraining programmes
to job-seekers with a disability who seek open employment. In
2003, SPD registered a record number of 4 309 disabled
job-seekers and succeeded in placing 2 442 of them
in employment. The placement rate was 57 per cent. (Figure
5.3)
A
Placement Officer visiting a tele-sales assistant placed by the
Selective Placement Division.
Trial
Placement-cum-Mentor Scheme
5.19
The Trial Placement-cum-Mentor Scheme for People with a Disability
was launched in January 2002. It aims at motivating employers
to recognise the working abilities of people with a disability
through a one-month trial placement, thereby enhancing the employment
opportunities of people with a disability. Participating employers
will receive a subsidy equal to half of the wages paid in the
one-month trial period, subject to a ceiling of $3,000. A mentorship
element has been included in the scheme to help the disabled workers
on trial to settle in the jobs more easily. The response from
employers has been encouraging. By the end of 2003, there were
282 employers offering 527 job vacancies. About 82 per cent of
the 466 disabled persons participating in the scheme were offered
full employment by their employers after the trial period.
Self
Help Integrated Placement Service
5.20
The Self Help Integrated Placement Service (SHIPS) aims at improving
the job-searching skills of disabled job-seekers and encouraging
them to be more proactive in the search for jobs, thereby enhancing
their employment opportunities. In 2003, 725 disabled job-seekers
participated in the programme. The overall placement rate was
about 55 per cent.
Interactive
Selective Placement Service (iSPS) Website
5.21
The Selective Placement Division (SPD) launched an Interactive
Selective Placement Service (iSPS) Website (http://www.jobs.gov.hk/isps/Default.asp?RunMode=English)
in January 2003 to provide improved employment services for disabled
job-seekers and employers through the Internet. The website enables
(a) disabled persons to register, for the first time, for SPD's
placement service or renew their previous registrations with SPD,
browse the vacancies available and perform preliminary job-matching,
and (b) employers to place vacancy orders with SPD, identify suitable
disabled job-seekers to fill their vacancies, or request SPD to
refer candidates to them for selection interview. Response to
the iSPS has been very favourable. Up to the end of 2003, it had
recorded a total of 3 842 942 page views and 5
806 online requests for SPD's services.
Interactive
Selective Placement Service (iSPS) Website.
Promotional
Activities
5.22
A series of radio programmes was produced during the year to enhance
public understanding of the working abilities of people with a
disability. We also held seminars for employers and conducted
special promotional campaigns on targeted trades to canvass vacancies
from employers.
Services
for Young People
Youth
Work Experience and Training Scheme (YWETS)
5.23
The YWETS features 50 hours of guidance and counselling services
to trainees by case managers who are registered social workers;
40 hours of induction training on communication and interpersonal
skills for trainees; training subsidy payable to employers at
the rate of $2,000 per trainee per month during the period of
on-the-job training; and training allowance of $4,000 payable
to trainees who undertake vocational training courses on an off-the-job
basis.
5.24
The Labour Department actively canvasses training vacancies from
both the private and public sectors. In addition, it tailor-makes
special employment projects for different trades and occupations
to provide diversified training opportunities for trainees under
the YWETS. They include a special project to introduce to trainees
employment opportunities on the Mainland, and the "Action
S4" project catering specifically for the needs of the more
vulnerable trainees.
"Action
S4"project.
5.25
The target of the YWETS is to provide 10 000 training places for
young people by July 2004. This was achieved in November 2003,
eight months ahead of schedule. As at the end of December 2003,
10 971 trainees were successfully placed in training vacancies
under the scheme. In addition, 7 632 trainees were
placed in other jobs in the open employment market with the advice
and assistance of their case managers.
5.26
Feedback from trainees, employers and case managers on the YWETS
are highly favourable. Independent consultants from the Centre
for Social Policy Studies of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
also confirmed the effectiveness of the scheme in enhancing the
employability of young people in a mid-term review conducted in
2003.
Youth
Pre-employment Training Programme (YPTP)
5.27
In 2003, we continued with the YPTP and provided a wide range
of employment-related training and workplace attachment opportunities.
Government departments, training bodies and voluntary agencies
join hands to provide the following four modular training: (a)
leadership, discipline and team building; (b) job-search and interpersonal
skills; (c) elementary/ intermediate computer application; and
(d) job-specific skills training. Organisations from the private
and public sectors as well as social welfare agencies offer workplace
attachment training places for trainees to obtain practical work
experience and better understand the world of work. Professional
youth workers are available to provide career counselling and
support services throughout the programme. In the new phase of
the programme, the training capacity was expanded from 12 000
to 18 000 to benefit more young people in response to the impact
of SARS. A number of training courses geared to market needs were
added. Workplace English or Putonghua was included in the training
to enhance trainees' language ability.
The
Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Matthew
Cheung Kin-chung (centre), pictured with the outstanding trainees
of the YPTP.
YPTP
trainee acquires work experience in retail industry through workplace
attachment.
Careers
Information and Guidance
5.28
We operate two careers information centres that function as information
banks for young people and careers teachers. Each centre has a
reference library with publications and audio-visual resources
on employment and training opportunities. Careers videos and VCDs
are available for free loan to secondary schools and youth organisations.
Careers counselling and guidance service are also available to
visitors of the centre. In 2003, we received 44 304
visitors and handled 41 944 consultations.
Staff
of the Careers Advisory Service counselling students.
5.29
To provide young people with first-hand careers information, we
organised a variety of careers activities in 2003, with 972
475 participants recorded.
5.30
We jointly organised the Education and Careers Expo with the Hong
Kong Trade Development Council for the 13th time in 2003 to provide
the latest information on careers development and further education
options. There were 366 participating exhibitors from a wide range
of trades, government departments and professional bodies, as
well as local and overseas educational and training institutes.
The event attracted 184 359 visitors and proved
to be the most popular careers information event in Hong Kong.
The
Labour Department provides careers information through the Education
& Careers Expo 2003.
5.31
In
collaboration with the Education and Manpower Bureau, we organised
a comprehensive service package for Form 5 school leavers to provide
them with a full range of counselling and information on careers
and further education opportunities. An Information Expo in August
attracted over 10 000 visitors. Hotlines, chat room
service and advisory centres were set up and served about 2
900 students and their parents. More than 90 000
copies of the tailor-made careers handbook were distributed.
5.32
Two part-time certificate courses were organised for in-service
careers masters in the 2003/2004 school year in collaboration
with the Education and Manpower Bureau.
Regulating
Local Employment Agencies and Employment Outside Hong Kong
5.33
We monitor the operation of employment agencies through licensing,
inspection and investigation of complaints. In 2003, 1 393 employment
agency licences were issued. Four licences were revoked, one application
for renewal of licence and two applications for issue of licence
refused. A total of 1 364 enforcement inspections
was made to employment agencies. At the end of 2003, there were
1 330 licensed employment agencies in Hong Kong.
5.34
We regulate employment outside the territory to safeguard the
interests of local employees engaged by employers outside to work
in other territories by attesting all employment contracts entered
in Hong Kong involving manual employees and non-manual employees
with monthly wages not exceeding $20,000.
Regulating
Labour Importation
5.35
To cater for the genuine needs of employers, a Supplementary Labour
Scheme that allows the entry of imported workers to take up jobs
at the technician level or below and which cannot be filled locally,
is administered by the Labour Department. It operates on the principles
of ensuring the priority of local workers in employment while
allowing employers with proven local recruitment difficulties
to import labour to fill the necessary job vacancies. As at the
end of 2003, there were 936 imported workers in Hong Kong.
5.36
We provide active job matching and referral services to local
job-seekers to ensure their employment priority. Vacancies under
the scheme are widely publicised locally. To facilitate local
workers in filling the vacancies, they could attend tailor-made
retraining courses, if appropriate. Applications from employers
who have set restrictive or unreasonable requirements in terms
of age, education, sex, skill or experience for the vacancies
or who have no genuine intention to employ local workers will
be rejected.
| Index |
Chapter 1 | Chapter
2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter
4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter
6 | Chapter 7 |
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Figures and Charts |
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