Hong Kong construction industry to expect personnel boost of 27,000 workers in coming years, massive public infrastructure spending
- Development official Ricky Lau reveals plans for HK$1 billion training and recruitment plan to boost number of construction industry workers
- Government ‘very optimistic’ about sector’s future, with big metropolis projects to create opportunities for young people, development minister Michael Wong says
Hong Kong’s construction sector can expect a supply of about 27,000 semi-skilled and skilled workers in coming years as part of a HK$1 billion (US$128.05 million) plan to boost training and personnel for a looming building boom, a government official has said.
Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) Ricky Lau Chun-kit said on Sunday the scheme could boost the number of semi-skilled and skilled site personnel by 20,000 and 6,800, respectively.
The government is also expected to steadily increase spending on public infrastructure projects, reaching an annual cost of HK$100 billion in the next few years, Lau said.
He added that if combined with the cost of infrastructure works in the private sector, the total value per year could reach HK$300 billion.
Details of the ambitious training scheme and the figures from Lau were cited by an official blog post from development minister Michael Wong Wai-lun.
The HK$1 billion plan was among the talent-nurturing measures featured in the budget delivered by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, who proposed allocating funds to the Construction Industry Council to open more training courses.
Lau said a three-pronged strategy would be adopted as part of the initiative to “train more new blood and upgrade the skills of in-service workers”.
