In the coming years, Hong Kong’s volume of overall construction output will continue to grow, with a strong demand for skilled workers. The Government has proposed to allocate $1 billion to support the Construction Industry Council (CIC) to further enhance manpower training for the construction industry. This time, I have invited the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr LAU Chun-kit, Ricky, to explain how the Government's proposed measures will further enhance the overall productivity of the construction industry. Two young people who have benefited from the Government's training allowance will also share their views on the outlook of the construction industry.

Construction output increases to $300 billion per year

The Government has been actively committing resources to infrastructure projects, including land creation, public housing, healthcare, flood prevention and transport facilities, etc., to improve the living environment of the public and promote economic growth. Mr Ricky LAU says the Government expects the relevant expenditure to continue to rise to over $100 billion per year in the next few years. Together with the private sector, the overall construction output is expected to increase to an annual level of $300 billion in the future.

A multi-pronged approach

With a growing number of projects underway, the construction industry has been in high demand for manpower, especially skilled workers, in recent years. To this end, the Government has proposed to allocate $1 billion to support the CIC's efforts to further enhance manpower training for the construction industry, train more new blood to join the industry and upskill in-service workers. The proposed measures fall into three main areas:

Firstly, for trades with high manpower demand in the future, the Government will increase the training places and allowances for CIC's programmes to train job-changers to become semi-skilled workers (i.e. “intermediate tradesmen”), so as to attract more new blood to the trades.

Secondly, the Government will increase the training places and allowances of the CIC's Approved Technical Talents Training Programme and Skill Enhancement Courses, so as to assist in-service and newly-trained semi-skilled workers to upskill to the level of skilled workers (i.e. “tradesmen”), and to better attract and retain talent through the provision of a progression pathway.

Thirdly, the Government will assist the CIC in stepping up its promotion of the professional skills and career prospects of the industry, so as to attract more new entrants to the construction industry, especially young people.

Facilitating the training of about 26 800 workers

Mr Ricky LAU says that the above measures can facilitate the training of about 20 000 semi-skilled workers and 6 800 skilled workers for the construction industry. Coupled with the Government's policy of actively supporting the industry in adopting advanced technology and innovative construction techniques, the overall productivity and capability of the construction industry will be further enhanced.

Attracting job-changers to the construction industry

As you can see from the proposed measures, there will be a significant increase in training places to meet the future manpower needs of our extensive infrastructure projects, with job-changers being the biggest source of new blood. One of these job changers is Mr John ZHANG, who is currently studying at the Hong Kong Institute of Construction (HKIC). Having worked in the catering department of a hotel for six months after graduating from university, he found that he had little interest in the catering industry. This, along with the impact of the epidemic on the industry, prompted him to make a career change. Now he is studying Quantity Surveying at the HKIC, and has developed a keen interest in the subject, aspiring to pursue a career in the construction industry.

Receiving subsidies and apprenticeship training

He shares with us that he does not need to pay for tuition fee and also receives a training allowance every month during the course. In addition, the HKIC jointly organises the “Contractors Sponsorship Scheme” with major contractors, under which students can receive an additional allowance and have an internship during their training. After graduation, students may become technician apprentices and gradually qualify as professionals in quantity surveying. He supports the Government’s decision to increase funding to further strengthen manpower training, as he believes that will help attract newcomers, especially job changers, to the industry.

New blood for the construction industry

CHEUNG Wing-hung, the other young person present, is a graduate of the HKIC. After completing the course of Diploma in Construction (Bricklaying, Plastering & Tiling), he has been working in the trade for half a year already. According to him, he already knew that demand for construction workers was keen when he was doing the course. Also, as the Government is investing substantially in infrastructure, the construction industry offers a lot of opportunities for development and employment. He hopes that the Government can introduce subsidised internship on construction sites for trainees. He believes that can attract more new blood to the industry.

Opportunities abound in the construction industry

Like our two young people, we are very optimistic about the future of the construction industry, particularly because the Government is planning to take forward the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy, Lantau Tomorrow and other projects. The construction industry will have a prosperous future with abundant development opportunities. We will continue to allocate more resources to train more new blood and upskill in-service workers, so that they will be able to benefit from the opportunities for employment and career advancement brought about by infrastructure development. I look forward to seeing more young people becoming a member of the construction industry.

Racing against time to build additional community isolation and treatment facilities

At this moment, the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Hong Kong is very severe. To fight against the epidemic, the Development Bureau (DEVB) has identified a number of sites for additional community isolation and treatment facilities, all of which have been handed over to contractors already. Yesterday, my colleagues and I visited four of these sites to know more about the work progress. The sites include Tsing Yi Town Lot No. 200; Tam Mei, Yuen Long; former site of The Boxes, San Tin; and a site located in Fanling North New Development Area, next to Ma Sik Road, Fanling. At the sites, our project staff and frontline workers are all racing against time to complete the works.

Projects launched with an unprecedented speed

Regarding the construction work, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR and contractors have established a tripartite liaison mechanism for high-level communication and co-ordination. We have also set up a dedicated task force, with professionals from the DEVB, Civil Engineering and Development Department and Architectural Services Department as members, for the projects of community isolation and treatment facilities being constructed with the Mainland’s support. The dedicated task force will have designated officers to support the construction teams to take forward the construction projects in full steam. We are launching the anti-epidemic construction projects with an unprecedented speed. I believe that, with the strong support of the Central Government, Hong Kong will gradually overcome the epidemic.