Commissioner for Labour: Nurturing expertise in printing industry is most important

The Commissioner for Labour, Mrs Pamela Tan, said today (September 22) that in addition to adopting more effective management and acquiring advanced equipment, employers in the printing industry should actively nurture expertise in the field to maintain the global competitiveness of Hong Kong's printing industry and uphold its position as one of the four largest printing centres in the world.

Speaking at the Printing Industry Tripartite Committee (PITC) meeting today, Mrs Tan said: "Employers should arrange for suitable skill training for their employees to improve productivity and printing standard. Employees, on the other hand, should appreciate the importance of life-long learning and equip themselves for the new challenges brought about by technological advancement."

The PITC, comprising representatives of employers and employees from the industry as well as the Labour Department, is preparing a Training Course Booklet on Skill Upgrading in the Printing Industry for references by employers and employees who plan to further their studies.

At today's meeting, the PITC members examined the draft of the booklet which lists out training courses on printing skills provided by local authorities and the websites of overseas training institutes. The booklet also highlights the importance of training and the responsibilities of employers and employees.

Members also agreed that with the development in technology, the demand for quality products in the printing market is increasing and the industry should continuously nurture expertise to meet the needs of the local market.

After consolidating the views of the PITC members, the department will publish the booklet and distribute it to all enterprises in the industry to facilities employers in arranging suitable skill training courses for their employees. Employees can also make references to the booklet and attend relevant training courses to add values to themselves and make advancement in their careers.

The PITC is set up by the Labour Department to provide an effective forum for employers, employees and the Government to discuss matters of common concerns. Its members include representatives from trade associations, academic associations, companies, workers' unions from the trade as well as officer from the Labour Department.