Future Promotion of VPET
Chapter 7 Conclusion
7.1 VPET has all along played an integral role in Hong Kong’s education system. In tandem with the rapid development in innovation and technology that is bound to revolutionise the workplace all over the world, the importance of VPET in training the requisite talent to meet manpower needs of different trades will only continue to grow. Global economies have been reviewing and reforming their respective VPET systems to keep pace with the ever-changing economic and societal environment, and Hong Kong could not afford to lose out as we strive to develop into a high value-added and diversified economy.
7.2 Having reviewed the existing measures to promote VPET and the current situation regarding the public perception of VPET, the Task Force has deliberated and formulated preliminary recommendations on matters pertaining to promoting VPET in secondary schools, reviewing the positioning of VPET in the higher education system, building clear articulation pathways in the vocational sector under the QF, and the future promotion of VPET.
7.3 In the light of the views received during the public consultation, the Task Force has finalised 18 specific recommendations. The Task Force firmly believes that, facing the challenges in the 21st century, the education system needs to nurture applied skills to integrate different knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes; and courses with more emphasis on application are a good choice outside courses focusing on academic elements to cater for different students’
aptitudes, develop their talent, and broaden their experience and exposure.
7.4 Therefore, VPET pathways should be expanded and enriched to offer more programmes with greater flexibility as well as an emphasis on application and industry input, while underpinned by a robust qualifications system, with a view to enabling young people to acquire professional work skills, applied knowledge in innovation and technology, as well as critical soft skills to excel in this new digital age. The Task Force firmly believes that its recommendations will go a long way towards strengthening the VPET ecosystem in Hong Kong and contributing to Hong Kong’s sustainable development.
79
Task Force on Promotion of VPET Membership
Chairman
Dr Roy CHUNG Chi-ping, GBS, JP Non-official Members
Mr Alan CHEUNG Yick-lun Ms Quince CHONG Wai-yan, JP Mr Eugene FONG Yick-jin Mr IP Wai-ming, MH
Mr Brian LIU
Mr Thomas LO Sui-sing, JP Mr Joseph TSANG Chi-to Dr TSANG Wing-hong Miss Winnie YING Fung-sau Mr Taylor YIP
Official Members
Representative(s) of the Secretary for Education
Terms of Reference
The terms of reference of the Task Force on Promotion of VPET is to evaluate the implementation progress of the recommendations of the 2014 Task Force, and advise the Secretary for Education on the following areas:
(a) how VPET can be better promoted in the career and life planning education in secondary schools to cater for students’ diverse abilities and interests;
(b) how to foster closer business-school collaboration through the BSPP to meet the manpower needs of Hong Kong; and
80
(c) to make recommendations on other VPET promotion measures.
81
Key Initial Observations of the Task Force on Promotion of VPET in its Consultation Document
Promotion of VPET in Secondary Schools
(a) The Task Force suggested that the Government continue to facilitate industry involvement through the BSPP in promoting VPET, and to encourage more industry partners and their corporate academies, as well as professional bodies to develop, improve and enrich the variety and structure of VPET activities.
(b) The Task Force suggested that the Government step up promotion of VPET-related activities for junior secondary students, BSPP partners can be encouraged to provide career exploration activities for junior secondary school students to enhance students’ exposure.
(c) The Task Force suggested that the Government better equip secondary school teachers with knowledge and information about VPET through training of new teachers and professional and career development for in-service teachers.
(d) The Task Force suggested that the Government enhance parents’
understanding of the opportunities and prospect of VPET through various channels, including regular communications between schools and parents, workplace visits under BSPP and more targeted promotion efforts.
(e) The Task Force suggested that the Government continue the efforts to promote VPET through ApL. The scope of VPET-related ApL courses can be broadened with contents enriched to include more vocationally-related elements.
(f) The Task Force recommended that the engagement of industrial partners from different sectors be made a necessary condition in the development and design of VPET-related courses in ApL.
82
(g) Institutions providing ApL courses should be further encouraged to consider designing ApL courses with closer reference to competency standards of respective trades under the QF where applicable.
Building Promising Pathways for VPET
(h) The Task Force saw a need to review the positioning of VPET in the higher education system in Hong Kong. Specifically, the Government should explore the merits of developing professional vocational qualifications at the degree level.
(i) The Task Force suggested that the Government reinforce the role of HD qualifications as a key VPET pathway at the post-secondary level.
(j) The Task Force considered that the Government should formulate more robust policies to encourage, coordinate, support and facilitate the post-secondary education sector, including the self-financing post-post-secondary institutions, to offer VPET programmes at both sub-degree and degree levels in close partnership with industries.
(k) The Task Force urged the Government to explore the development of a vocational route whereby professional skill-based vocational qualifications can be acquired through an appropriate combination of vocational training at schools and workplace assessment or in-service training, and duly recognised under the QF in close partnership with the industries.
Future Promotion of VPET
(l) The Task Force considered that the public’s understanding of VPET should be enhanced to highlight the diverse opportunities available for a career in different professions through professional skills training.
(m) The Task Force suggested that more aspects of the benefits of pursuing
83
VPET should be promoted to the public, with the meaning of VPET enriched to emphasise how VPET is associated to work skills for the future.
(n) The Task Force considered it necessary for the Government to step up measures to facilitate industries to play a greater and more strategic role in areas such as programme development and conduct of workplace assessment to enrich VPET courses and programmes in ApL courses and at the post-secondary level. Incentive programmes can be considered to give recognition to encourage employers to champion the Government’s VPET initiatives.
(o) The Task Force considered that VPET should be promoted in society through more innovative and interactive approaches with a view to raising community-wide awareness. The Task Force agreed that hands-on skills, work competence, application of innovation and technology, etc. are some important concepts of VPET which require more promotion through the mass media. On the other hand, the attractiveness and positive image of VPET can be further projected by promoting success stories of VPET students through online media.
(p) The Task Force suggested enhancing communication between parents and secondary schools as well as formulating more targeted promotion measures for parents to help parents understand more about VPET.
(q) The Task Force suggested raising community awareness on VPET by organising large-scale skills events on a regular basis. In addition, secondary schools can be engaged more extensively in such events to cultivate a culture that promotes skills and VPET.
84
List of Participants at the Consultation Sessions
No. Date Participants
1
3 June 2019
Caritas Institute of Community Education 2 Chu Hai College of Higher Education
3 Federation for Self-financing Tertiary Education 4 HKU School of Professional and Continuing
Education
5 HKU SPACE Po Leung Kuk Stanley Ho Community
College
6 Hong Kong College of Technology
7 Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications
8 Hong Kong Institute of Technology
9 Hong Kong Nang Yan College of Higher Education
10 Hong Kong Shue Yan University
11 Lingnan Institute of Further Education 12 Savannah College of Art and Design 13
School of Continuing Education and College of International Education, Hong Kong Baptist University
14 Li Ka Shing Institute of Professional and Continuing Education, The Open University of Hong Kong
15 Tung Wah College
16 Vocational Training Council
17 YMCA College of Careers
85
No. Date Participants
18
17 June 2019
Arboriculture and Horticulture Industry Training Advisory Committee
19 Banking Industry Training Advisory Committee 20 Beauty and Hairdressing Industry Training Advisory
Committee
21 Catering Industry Training Advisory Committee 22 Electrical and Mechanical Services Industry
Training Advisory Committee
23 Fashion Industry Training Advisory Committee 24 Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions
25 Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants 26 Human Resource Management Industry Training
Advisory Committee
27 Information and Communications Technology Industry Training Advisory Committee
28 Institution of Dining Art
29 Insurance Industry Training Advisory Committee 30 Jewellery Industry Training Advisory Committee 31 Logistics Industry Training Advisory Committee 32 Manufacturing Technology (Tooling, Metals and
Plastics) Industry Training Advisory Committee 33 Printing and Publishing Industry Training Advisory
Committee
34 Property Management Industry Training Advisory Committee
35 Retail Industry Training Advisory Committee
36 The Hong Kong Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology
37 The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups
86
No. Date Participants
38
17 June 2019
The Hong Kong Institution of Engineering Surveyors
39 Travel Industry Training Advisory Committee
40 Watch and Clock Industry Training Advisory Committee
41
24 June 2019
CLP Power Hong Kong Limited 42 Federation of Hong Kong Industries 43 Hong Kong Institute of Construction
Construction Industry Council
44 Hong Kong International Aviation Academy
45 MTR Corporation Limited
46 The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce
47 The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited
48 The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce
49
25 June 2019
Grant Schools Council
50 Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union
51 Hong Kong Subsidized Secondary Schools Council
52 30 Secondary Schools
87
List of Respondents to the Consultation Document
No. Date Respondents
1 4 June 2019 P OR
2 10 June 2019 (A respondent requesting anonymity) 3 14 June 2019 王曲彪
4 18 June 2019 Quinais YU 5 18 June 2019 翟博士
6 27 June 2019 Hong Kong Institute of Construction Construction Industry Council
7 2 July 2019 MTR Academy 8 4 July 2019 Fred KWAN
9 5 July 2019 CLP Power Hong Kong Limited 10 8 July 2019 Henry TONG
11 9 July 2019 Corporate Tech Academy Network 12 9 July 2019 MAK King-tong
13 9 July 2019 MWYO 14 9 July 2019 Teddy WU
15 9 July 2019 Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union 16 10 July 2019 Dr Ella CHAN
17 10 July 2019 (A respondent requesting anonymity) 18 10 July 2019 (A respondent requesting anonymity)
19 10 July 2019 香港社區組織協會
新青權利關注會
88
No. Date Respondents
20 11 July 2019 Alex NG 21 11 July 2019 Andrew LI
22 11 July 2019 (A respondent requesting anonymity) 23 11 July 2019 The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers 24 12 July 2019 80/90 青年聚焦小組
25 12 July 2019 Federation of Hong Kong Industries 26 12 July 2019 Liberal Party
27 12 July 2019 Our Hong Kong Foundation 28 12 July 2019 Quince CHONG
29 12 July 2019 Vocational Training Council 30 12 July 2019
Vocational Training and Employment Acceleration Committee, The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions
31 12 July 2019 Hong Kong Retail Management Association 32 12 July 2019 Grand Aesthetic Academy
33 12 July 2019
Employees Progressive Educational Center, The Federation of Hong Kong & Kowloon Labour Unions
34 12 July 2019 黃妙送
35 12 July 2019 職業專才教育發展關注組
36 15 July 2019 Carrie CHENG
37 16 July 2019 Practice Perfection Consulting Limited
38 18 July 2019 HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education
39 19 July 2019 Hong Kong Association of Career Masters and Guidance Masters
89
Recommendations of the 2014 Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education