以下為立法會會議上盧偉國議員的提問和發展局局長陳茂波的答覆：
問題：
有建造業人士指出，政府正推展大型基建工程，為建造業和香港經濟帶來持續的動力，但建造業正面對人手老化、短缺，技術錯配及斷層等問題。有一項調查的結果顯示，現正施工的建築工地平均短缺百分之十五的工人，對施工進度及工地安全帶來考驗。關於建造業工人的短缺問題，政府可否告知本會：
（一） 有否就二○一○年九月推出的「強化建造業人力訓練計劃」的成效進行檢討；若有，詳情為何；會否考慮延長該計劃的培訓期及增加計劃所涵蓋的工種至包括焊接工、批盪工、玻璃工、雲石工、髹漆及裝飾工和水喉工；若會，詳情為何；若否，原因為何；
（二） 當局會否考慮將部分訓練課程外判予工會及認證機構，以增加培訓名額及吸納新力軍加入建造行業；及
（三） 鑑於有業界人士預計，建造業工人的需求將於本年中進入高峰期，當局有何新的積極措施盡快解決建造業工人人手短缺的困局？
答覆：
主席：
我們一直積極與建造業議會（下稱「議會」）及建造業界溝通，並透過進行人力資源調查和研究及舉辦工作坊，了解最新的人力供求情況。
大型基建陸續展開，建造業的人手需求將有所增加。就業數據顯示，我們仍有空間培訓更多本地人才滿足需求。早於二○一○年五月，我們已獲立法會撥款一億元，加強對議會的支援，推出包括「強化建造業人力訓練計劃」（下稱「強化計劃」）在內的多項措施，提升本地工人的技術水平。發展局在二○一一年六月全面檢視建造業人手情況，結果顯示，儘管未來數年整體人手足夠，個別工種將會面臨人手短缺和工人嚴重老化等問題。有見及此，我們在二○一二年四月向立法會申請額外二億二千萬元的撥款，加強有關的培訓措施。
就盧議員提出的問題，我的回覆如下。
（一）「強化計劃」針對建造業人力需求殷切的工種培訓人才，特別是有人手短缺、工人嚴重老化及難以招募新人等情況的工種。
數據顯示，「強化計劃」需要培訓約六千名新血，方可滿足未來數年的人力需求。計劃自二○一○年九月推出，截至二○一二年十一月底，議會已完成四期「強化計劃」，一共培訓超過二千名學員，當中約六成在三十五歲以下，可見計劃能有效吸引年青新力軍入行。為確保學員有較佳的就業機會，由二○一二年十二月底起，我們已規定相關工務工程的承建商聘用計劃的畢業學員。我相信議會能於二○一四年底前達成目標，局方會繼續監察「強化計劃」的成效。
議會在推出每一期計劃前均會諮詢業界，亦會參考人力調查研究的結果、不同工種的收生及就業情況等，受資助的工種數目已由第一期的四個逐步增至現時的十個。此外，議會亦會考慮工種的實際需要和商會的意見，調整課程的培訓期。上述機制行之有效，我們會鼓勵承建商適時向議會反映不同工種的需求。
（二）及（三） 為應付長遠的人手需求，我們已與議會合作制訂了一套涵蓋四大範疇的建造業工人全面人力策略。
首先是人力供求預測。盧議員引用的工人短缺比例，可能是來自香港建造商會和香港機電工程商聯會於二○一二年十一月進行的問卷調查。由一九七六年起，政府統計處每季都會發表建築工地就業人數的統計數字，而二○一二年第三季的數據就顯示工地工人的空缺比例只有約百分之一。我們會聯同各商會、工會、建造業議會和政府統計處，協調進行同類調查。同時，議會亦會每半年諮詢業界，調查建造業中短期的人力供求情況，我期望業界能積極向建造業議會表達意見。議會亦正聘請顧問，評估未來十年業界人力供求的情況，為我們和議會在制訂政策時提供共同確認的參考數據。
第二是增加人手供應。議會推出了多項措施吸引中學畢業生、轉職人士、少數族裔人士和新來港人士入行，我們亦聯同議會推出了「Ｂｕｉｌｄ升」宣傳計劃，提升建造業形象。我們進行的意見調查顯示，與該計劃開展前相比，現時有意投身建造業的年青人增加近一倍；過去兩年註冊工人的數目亦已增加了約百分之十五，反映宣傳工作已見成效。配合有關工作，議會一直著力增加培訓學額，在發展局的協助下，議會已物色到額外的訓練場地，「強化計劃」的學額將會在本年度內由每年約一千二百個增加至約二千三百個。
盧議員詢問我們會否外判訓練課程，事實上，為了使培訓學額貼近市場需要，現時的培訓課程已有外判安排。在議會主導的「承建商合作培訓計劃」下，個別培訓課程由議會提供資助，承建商則「先聘用、後培訓」。我們自二○一一年十二月起已要求相關工務工程的承建商參與這項計劃，並已鼓勵其他公共機構響應；該計劃將在本年提供約一千五百個學額。計及上述多項措施和議會的常規課程，議會的整體培訓名額將由二○○九年的約二千個增至今年的約六千個，由此可見，議會已大幅提升培訓名額，以滿足業界的需要。
針對在職工人，議會的一貫政策是鼓勵普通工人提升技能，註冊為熟練或半熟練技工。除了為工藝測試及格率較低的工種開辦技能提升課程外，議會正計劃與合資格機構合作，由今年年初起外判五項技能提升課程，並會研究外判其他相關課程。議會亦會為工人提供津貼，以參加工藝測試或指明訓練課程。
第三是透過優化工務工程的採購策略和制定相關指引，提高生產力。
最後就是運用議會在二○一一年推出名為「建工網」的招聘平台和在二○一二年設立的建造業資訊中心，配對人力供求。
展望未來，我們會與議會、業界和工人攜手合作，培養多技能的建造業隊伍。
Following is a question by the Hon Lo Wai-kwok and a reply by the Secretary for Development, Mr Paul Chan, in the Legislative Council:
Question:
Some members of the construction industry have pointed out that while the implementation of major infrastructure projects by the Government at present provides sustained impetus for the construction industry and the economy of Hong Kong, the construction industry is currently facing problems such as aging workforce, labour shortage, skills mismatch and succession gap. As shown by the findings of a survey, construction sites with works in progress at present have an average labour shortage of 15%, posing challenges to the progress of works and safety of construction sites. Regarding the shortage of construction workers, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it has reviewed the effectiveness of the Enhanced Construction Manpower Training Scheme introduced in September 2010; if it has, of the details; whether it will consider extending the training period of the Scheme and expanding the trades under the Scheme to cover welders, plasterers, glaziers, marble workers, painters and decorators, as well as plumbers; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(b) whether the authorities will consider outsourcing some training courses to trade unions and certification bodies to increase the training quota and recruit new blood to join the construction industry; and
(c) as some members of the industry have estimated that the demand for construction workers will peak in the middle of this year, of the authorities’ new proactive measures to expeditiously address the difficulties caused by the shortage of construction workers?
Reply:
President,
We have maintained close liaison with the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and the construction industry, as well as conducted manpower surveys and studies and organised workshops to keep track of the latest manpower situation.
With major infrastructure projects coming on stream, there will be an increase in manpower demand in the construction industry. Employment statistics show that there is still room for training more local workers to meet the demand. As early as May 2010, we obtained the approval of the Legislative Council (LegCo) for a funding of $100 million to strengthen the support for CIC to implement various initiatives, including the Enhanced Construction Manpower Training Scheme (ECMTS), to enhance the skill levels of local workers. The Development Bureau (DEVB) comprehensively reviewed the manpower situation of the construction industry in June 2011. The findings revealed that in the next few years, although total manpower supply will be adequate, individual trades will face issues of labour shortage and acute ageing. In this connection, in April 2012, we sought an additional funding of $220 million from LegCo to strengthen the relevant training initiatives.
My reply to the Hon Lo's question is set out as below:
(a) ECMTS targets at training personnel for individual trades in great demand, in particular those facing issues of labour shortage, acute ageing and difficulties in recruiting new entrants.
Statistics show that ECMTS needs to train up approximately 6 000 new entrants to meet the manpower demand in the next few years. From the commencement of ECMTS in September 2010 to end November 2012, CIC has already completed four phases, training over 2 000 trainees. Amongst them, about 60% were aged below 35, indicating that ECMTS was effective in attracting more young people to join the construction industry. To ensure better employment opportunities for the trainees, since the end of December 2012, we have required relevant public works contractors to employ graduate trainees of ECMTS. I am confident that CIC will meet its target by end 2014, while DEVB will continue to monitor the effectiveness of ECMTS.
Prior to launching new phases of ECMTS, CIC consults the construction industry stakeholders and takes into account the findings of manpower studies, the situation of trainee intake and placement of graduates of various trades. The number of trades under ECMTS has progressively increased from four in the first phase to ten at present. Further, CIC adjusts the training periods of individual trades taking into account actual industry needs and the feedback from trade associations. As this mechanism has been functioning well, we encourage contractors to timely reflect the manpower demands of various trades to CIC.
(b) and (c) To meet long-term manpower demand, we, in collaboration with CIC, have drawn up a total manpower strategy for construction workers, which covers four key areas.
First and foremost is forecasting manpower demand and supply. The percentage of labour shortage quoted by the Hon Lo is likely based on the questionnaire survey conducted by the Hong Kong Construction Association and the Hong Kong Federation of Electrical and Mechanical Contractors in November 2012. Since 1976, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) has released employment statistics on construction sites on a quarterly basis. The statistics for the third quarter of 2012 show that the percentage of vacancies of manual workers at construction sites is only about 1%. We will coordinate with trade associations, labour unions, CIC and C&SD to conduct similar manpower surveys in a collaborative manner. On the other hand, CIC will consult the construction industry on a half-yearly basis to gauge the medium and short-term manpower supply and demand. I hope the industry will actively reflect their views to CIC. Further, CIC will be commissioning a consultant to assess the manpower supply and demand in the industry over a ten-year horizon. The findings of this consultancy study will provide recognised information as reference for CIC and us to formulate relevant policies.
The second key area is to increase manpower supply. CIC has rolled out various initiatives to attract secondary school graduates, job-changers, ethnic minorities and new migrants to join the industry. We have also collaborated with CIC to launch the "Build Up" publicity campaign to uplift the image of the industry. Our survey revealed that the number of young people who are likely to join the construction industry has nearly doubled as compared with the time before the launching of the campaign. In the past two years, the number of registered construction workers has also increased by some 15%. These factors indicate the success of our publicity drive. To complement our work, CIC has been striving to increase the number of training places. With the assistance of DEVB, CIC has identified additional training grounds to increase the annual training places under ECMTS from about 1 200 to about 2 300 within this year.
The Hon Lo asked if we would outsource training courses. As a matter of fact, to keep the number of training places abreast of market demands, there are outsourcing arrangements for training courses. Under the Contractor Cooperative Training Scheme (CCTS) led by CIC, certain training courses are subsidised by CIC, whereas contractors hire and then train the trainees. Since December 2011, we have required relevant public works contractors to join CCTS and have also encouraged other public bodies to take part in it. CCTS will provide some 1 500 training places this year. Taking into account the above initiatives and regular courses of CIC, the overall training places of CIC will increase from about 2 000 in 2009 to about 6 000 this year. This reflects that CIC has substantially raised its training quota to meet the needs of the industry.
Regarding in-service workers, it is an established policy of CIC to encourage general workers to enhance their skills and register as skilled or semi-skilled workers. Apart from organising skills enhancement courses for trades with relatively low passing rate of trade tests, CIC is planning to cooperate with qualified organisations with a view to contracting out five skills enhancement courses in early 2013. CIC will also examine the feasibility of outsourcing other courses. Further, CIC will provide subsidies for workers to attend trade tests or specified training courses.
The third key area is to increase productivity of public works projects by enhancing the procurement strategy and formulating relevant guidelines.
The fourth and the last is to make use of CIC's "JobsNet" recruitment platform launched in 2011 and the Construction Industry Resource Centre commissioned in 2012 to match manpower demand and supply.
Looking ahead, we will collaborate with CIC, construction industry stakeholders and construction workers to nurture a multi-skilled workforce.
