Employees Retraining Board

In line with the decision of the Government in October 2007, the eligibility criteria in terms of education and age limits for the applicants of ERB courses have been relaxed since 1 December 2007. Our service targets have been extended to cover people aged 15 or above, with education level at sub-degree or below. In answering to the varied employment aspirations and needs of the much expanded and diverse target groups, ERB has drawn up an annual plan of over 120,000 training places for 2008-09, which represents not only 40% increase in the number of training places compared to the previous year, but also an increase of about 95% in total training hours. The latter is the outcome of overall course content enhancement which aims to foster sustainable employment and greater competitiveness of our trainees.

Joining hands with over 70 appointed Training Bodies, ERB endeavours to promote “Manpower Development Scheme”. In 2008-09, besides consolidating and enhancing the existing 110 courses tailored mainly for our original clientele (i.e. the unemployed aged 30 or above with education attainment at Secondary 3 or below), more than 170 new placement-tied courses have been developed catering mainly to the employment needs of our new clients. These courses cover skill training for 24 industries, namely tourism, exhibition, logistics, property management, information technology, design, merchandising, healthcare, hotel, retail, recreation management, beauty and catering, etc. To invest in people, new modules for enhancement of personal attributes and foundation skills (i.e. languages, numeracy and computer applications) offering in part-time mode will be open to all eligible citizens regardless of their employment status.

To provide incentives and the necessary resources to Training Bodies to develop new courses with market potential, ERB further strengthens the "Course Development Assistance Scheme" and "Training Facilities Assistance Scheme" in 2008-09. Apart from the existing clientele, we aim to explore more new courses for the ethnic minorities, the disabled and industrial accident rehabilitants so as to enhance their employability and to broaden their career path.

With the main objective as "Providing optimal training, Enhancing Quality, Strengthening Recognition and Boosting Employment", ERB has re-positioned the “Integrated Scheme for Local Domestic Helpers” as “Smart Living” to incorporate the services of Home, Health and Care. By using the “Smart Living”, trainees after receiving training will be offered free job referral services to be employed as "Smart Helpers", providing domestic services, post-natal care, infant care and elderly care etc. For the public, hiring "Smart Helpers" to assist in different domestic and healthcare duties will become convenient and easy.

ERB is also committed to develop our brand-new training and employment support services. We have set up the territory’s first “Training cum Employment Resource Centre” (“TERC”) in Cheung Sha Wan to provide the two core services aiming to better serve the community. The TERC serves not only as a display window of our training courses and services, but also offers multi-tiered employment services to different clients, including offering assistance to people with difficulties in finding jobs through district collaboration. Professional social workers would provide personalized services to clients on a need basis. The Centre also renders appropriate support services to the new arrivals and ethnic minorities, and provides recruitment and referral services to local employers at no cost.

We are also mindful of strengthening the mechanism in assuring the quality of training courses. The objective is to have our courses recognized by the Qualifications Framework and listed on the Qualifications Register through accreditation by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications. We shall define the levels and awards of the training courses to facilitate our trainees to map out their learning progression ladder so as to achieve continuous betterment.

The need of investing in skills to foster sustainable employment for individuals and economic growth for the territory is more urgent than ever at the time of the recent financial tsunami. Our service is always market-driven ensuring our flexible and timely response to the ever-changing market situations. We shall closely monitor the placement situation and flexibly adjust the training plan as appropriate. ERB is committed to offer pragmatic services and practical training to the community that would substantially and genuinely answer the needs of the public.

Ms Rebecca Pun, JP joined the Hong Kong Government in July 1987 as an Administrative Officer. Her present rank is Administrative Officer Staff Grade B. She has worked in a number of different posts in the Government since, including the former Health and Welfare Branch, Yau Tsim Mong District Office of the Home Affairs Department, the Judiciary and the former Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB). Her major responsibilities in the then EMB included the development and implementation of a Qualifications Framework and an associated Quality Assurance mechanism; the development of Project Yi Jin and Yi Jin/Secondary Schools Collaboration Project; and serving the Manpower Development Committee. She assumed the post of Executive Director, Employees Retraining Board in April 2006.

Ms Pun holds a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering from The University of Birmingham, UK; a Bachelor degree in Laws from The University of London, UK; and an Executive Master degree in Business Administration from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.