Disciplinary training equips YPTP trainees for work

"Nothing venture, nothing gain" were words of encouragement delivered by the Commissioner for Labour, Mrs Pamela Tan Kam Mi-wah, to 120 graduates of the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme (YPTP) at the Police Training School today (November 8).

"Developing your career is just like climbing up a mountain. You will find hurdles in the beginning. You may fail and try again and again. But if you try hard enough and reach the peak, you can enjoy the panorama," Mrs Tan said.

"Disciplinary training provides trainees with confidence, physical and leadership training, team building and organisation skills.

"This training can build up the confidence of trainees and enhance their motivation and initiatives. And that is why many employers are willing to give priority to our trainees in their staff recruitment programmes," she added.

"I hope trainees will never give up when there are obstacles. They should review the situation and understand the causes to various problems. They should evaluate whether their interviewing techniques are good enough and their expectations practical, and whether the market situation has changed," Mrs Tan said.

She stressed that it was important for young people to make full use of their strengths to outshine the others. Academic qualification was never the sole requirement of employers. Trainees should be determined to pursue life-long learning and devote themselves to work. They should also be determined not to give up easily.

The YPTP was well-received this year and over 85 per cent of the trainees had enrolled in courses in information technology, clerical duties, tourism and hotel, catering and retailing, as well as personal services. Among these courses, information technology, clerical duties and tourism were the most popular.

The Labour Department maintains close contact with training bodies to ensure that trainees could choose the most suitable job skill training.

In addition, the department is vigorously promoting the YPTP to employers in order to seek workplace attachment opportunities for trainees.

As at the end of October, over 3,000 attachment places have been offered by 180 employers. Eighty per cent of the places are from the private sector, and the rest from the Government, non-government organisations and social service organisations.

In order to solicit more workplace attachment places, the department has set up a special task force to provide employers with personalised, simple and speedy "one-stop service".

According to a survey conducted by the department in May with the organisations providing attachment places, over 96 per cent of such organisations endorsed the programme. Moreover, many trainees who excelled in the attachment training were subsequently given jobs by their employers.