The Government today (March 14) announced the re-appointment of Mr Michael Tien Puk-sun as chairman and Dr Ng Tat-lun as vice-chairman of the Employees Retraining Board and the new membership of the board, comprising -

Representatives of Employees:
Mr Lau Chin-shek
Ms Juan Leung Chung-yan
Mr Cheng Kai-ming
Mr Sin Kai-ming

Persons connected with Vocational Training and Retraining or Manpower Planning:
Mr Yeung Ka-shing
Ms Virginia Choi Wai-kam
Professor Danny Wong Shek-nam
Executive Director of the Vocational Training Council

Public Officers:
Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Commissioner for Labour

The new membership will take effect from April 1 for a term of one year.

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, welcomed the re-appointment of Mr Tien, Dr Ng and other incumbent members.

He also welcomed Mr William Leung Wing-cheung and Professor Wong Shek-nam, the two newly appointed members, to the board.

"The board is currently conducting consultations with relevant stakeholders on its future directions. I am confident that under Mr Tien's leadership and with the dedicated support of all members, the board will be able to take on new strategic role and responsibilities and offer comprehensive and more diversified training and retraining services for the local workforce to help them adapt to the changing market and manpower needs of our society," he said.

Mr Cheung also thanked Professor Roland Chin Tai-hong, the outgoing member, for his valuable contribution to the board during his tenure of service.

The Employees Retraining Board is a statutory body established in 1992 under the Employees Retraining Ordinance. Its membership, comprising representatives of employers and employees, and persons connected with vocational training and retraining or manpower planning, is specified in the law. It is responsible for providing retraining courses and related placement services under the Employees Retraining Scheme.

With effect from December 1 last year, the eligibility criteria of the scheme were relaxed to cover all eligible persons aged 15 or above, with education attainment at sub-degree level or below. The board released a consultation document on its future directions on January 24 for a two-month consultation.

Ends/Friday, March 14, 2008