The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) is an independent statutory body established in 1992 under the Employees Retraining Ordinance. Prior to December 2007, the ERB had been providing placement-tied training courses to help unemployed workers, especially those who were middle-aged and had relatively low education level, re-enter the labour force with a view to alleviating the impact of unemployment in Hong Kong.

In response to the decision of the Government in October 2007, the ERB extended its service to cover people aged 15 or above with an education attainment at sub-degree or below in December 2007. The ERB repositioned itself in mid-2008. Since then, the ERB endeavours to promote the “Manpower Development Scheme” to foster the sustainable development of trainees, helps them attain recognised qualifications and map out their progression ladder.

The ERB co-ordinates, funds and monitors training courses and services that are marketdriven and employment-oriented so as to meet the changing needs of the employment market. The ERB has appointed about 130 training bodies with nearly 420 training centres across the territory to provide training courses and services. The ERB offers more than 800 training courses straddling nearly 30 industries.

The ERB provides a diverse range of courses under the “Manpower Development Scheme”, including full-time placement-tied courses for the unemployed; part-time generic skills training courses for people from all industries; “Skills Upgrading Scheme Plus” courses with skills enhancement training for employees; and courses for special target groups such as “Youth Training Programme” for non-engaged young people, courses for the disabled and those who have recovered from industrial accidents, courses for rehabilitated offenders, courses conducted in English for ethnic minorities and courses for new arrivals. The ERB has been actively developing professional certification courses, including industry certification courses, public examination preparation courses, and National Occupational Qualification Certificates-related courses to help trainees move up their professional ladder. The majority of ERB courses are at Qualifications Framework Level 1 to 4, which have been accredited by the Hong Kong Council for the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and included in the Qualifications Register.

The ERB has established 3 Service Centres in Kowloon East, Kowloon West and Tin Shui Wai. Operating on a district basis, the ERB Service Centres offer timely and diversified selfhelp and support services, as well as information on courses organised in the respective district, to people with training and employment needs.

The ERB will continue its all-out efforts to better equip our labour force with sound foundation for future career development. The ERB strives to provide a flexible, quality and resilient labour force for the knowledge based economy of Hong Kong.