Effective Staff Training to Make a Success Mr. Patrick Pang, General Manager Qualifications Framework Secretariat Why is QF of Value to the Watch & Clock (W&C) industry in Hong Kong? What have been done so far in the context of QF implementation in the W&C industry? How can the W&C industry can ride on QF to enhance its professionalism? Where is the Way Forward? Global perspectives • Global economic downturn • European liquidity crisis Local situation • Introduction of Individual Visit Scheme attracted 42 million Mainland tourists to Hong Kong in 2011; and • Hong Kong reached a record high of HKD 68.9 billion worth of watch and clock exports in 2011. Issues to be tackled: • Exploring emerging markets; • Development of new technologies; and • Quality manpower : efficient and effective staff training is critical • Provide a platform to promote and facilitate manpower development and upgrading through life long learning; • HKQF is established by HKSAR Government and formally launched in May 2008; • Qualifications Framework Secretariat (QFS) is the executive arm of the Education Bureau to implement HKQF. Enhancing the competitiveness of the workforce • HKQF is a 7-level hierarchy which covers qualifications from academic, vocational and continuing education sectors; • QF levels are measured against the Generic Level Descriptors (GLD) under HKQF; • QF levels define the relative complexity and depth of learning outcomes required of qualifications and their associated training programmes; • QF-recognised qualifications are quality assured Vocational & Continuing Education On-going development under HKQF QF level Academic Level 7 Doctoral Degree Level 6 Master Degree Level 5 Bachelor Degree Level 4 Associate Degree, Higher Diploma Level 3 S6, HKDSE, Diploma, (HKALE) Level 2 S5, Certificate ( S5, HKCEE) Level 1 S3, Certificate • A new piece of legislation to underpin QF development : Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance, Cap 592 has been fully operational w.e.f. 5 May 2008; • The Ordinance empowers the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) as the Accreditation Authority and the Qualifications Register (QR) Authority; • All learning programmes have to be accredited by the HKCAAVQ before they can be registered in the QR and become QF recognised (except those offered by self-accrediting institutions e.g. those UGC-funded Universities). Primary Objectives : to foster Life Long Learning (LLL) through articulated and quality-assured multiple learning pathways; and in particular, the VET sector can leverage on QF to enhance its development and provision in terms of : - • Quality • Transparency • Transferability • Articulation • Recognition • Transnationalisation • Education Bureau (EDB) implements QF for the vocational sector on industry basis; • It assists industries to establish Industry Training Advisory Committees (ITACs); • ITACs comprise key representatives of employers, employees, trade associations, trade unions, professional bodies and relevant government bodies of the industries; • So far, 18 industries, covering about 45% of total labour force, have set up ITACs; and HKQF is Industry-led Printing & Publishing Electrical & Mechanical Services Import & Export Banking Watch and Clock Chinese Catering Hairdressing Property Management Beauty Automotive ITACs includes employers, employees, trade associations, workers’ unions, professional/regulatory bodies Jewellery Manufacturing Technology (Tooling, Metals & Plastics) Retail Insurance Information & Communications Technology Logistics Testing, Inspection & Certification Elderly Care Service The ITAC is primarily tasked : to draw up Specification of Competency Standards (SCSs), which represents the competency requirements and outcome standards at various levels under different functional areas of an industry; To develop the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanism for the industry; and To promote QF to various stakeholders of the industry. • Watch & Clock ITAC was established in 2004, comprising 20 members; • Majority of the members come from the supporting organizations below: The Federation of HK Watch Trades & Industries Limited HK Watch Manufacturers Association Limited HK Department Stores & Commercial Staff General Union HK & Kowloon Clock & Watch Trade Workers Union Major uses of SCS Human Resources Development & Management e.g. in-house training, job specifications, recruitment Vocational Education & Training e.g. SCS-based courses, in-house training Basis for Benchmarking e.g. Recognition of Prior Learning, benchmarking initiated by professional bodies • Education and Training providers are encouraged to develop SCS-based Courses; • Employers are also encouraged to develop SCSbased in-house training; • Government subsidies in programme accreditation and SCS-based course development (QF Subsidy Scheme). • We work closely with industries in developing progression pathways for various job roles and positions; • QA Manager/Engineer Education and training providers can make use of the information to produce training programmes relevant to the needs of the Assistant QA Engineer industries; and • They also provide informed choices to young people for learning articulation and career development. Quality Assurance Technician • RPL mechanism gives formal recognition to the knowledge, skill and experience previously acquired by practitioners in the workplace; • Experienced industry practitioners do not need to start from the scratch when they pursue further training; • RPL mechanism has been launched for 7 industries; • Watch and Clock industry is one of the first 3 industries which pilot-run RPL in 2008. Recognition Employers can make use of the QF to: • Design effective job descriptions and specifications for different job roles; • Help to recruit right person for the job; • Create a workforce development plan for your organisation; • Have your internal in-house training recognised; and • Assign the right person to the right job or task. • With a clear learning and progression pathway, employees are more inclined to improve their skills and knowledge; • With the QF platform, employees can map out their own learning and career development plans; and • Through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanism, experienced employees are given more opportunities to receive further education and training. Infrastructure • More ITACs and more Specification of Competency Standards (SCS) • Extension of RPL to more industries • Mapping out of Learning & Progression Pathways • Projects on QF Credit and Award Titles Application • Promoting application SCS/SGC in learning programmes • Adoption of SCS/SGC in HR functions • Promotion of QF, QR and QFSS Promotion of Recognition • Collaboration with overseas QF authorities (e.g. EQF, SCQF, AQF)* • Interface with the occupational qualifications system of the Mainland (e.g. GD-OSTA) ______________________________________________________________ *EQF: European Qualifications Framework SCQF : Scottish Credits and Qualifications Framework AQF : Australian Qualifications Framework GD-OSTA : Guangdong Occupational Skills Testing Authority • There are over 130 countries which have developed or are developing its QF or qualifications systems; • Developed countries, such as the UK, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand have implemented QF for some 20 years. They have similar objective of promoting life-long learning; • The establishment of the QF facilitates workforce mobility and flexibility; • For employers, QF will make it easier to interpret qualifications of different regions/countries; and • As a leading country for the Watch and Clock Trade in the world, Switzerland is also establishing its own QF. • Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework - Video Case Studies Microsoft • HKQF established solid relationships with overseas QF authorities and conducted a feasibility study on referencing HKQF with European Qualifications Framework (EQF); • A MOU with the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership (SCQFP) was signed in March 2012; and • A Letter of Intent with Guangdong Occupational Skill Testing Authority (OSTA) was signed in 2010 to explore the flexibility of benchmarking competency standards between HK and Mainland China. • Human capital is the single most precious resource of Hong Kong and hence continuous skills enhancement and upgrading of the workforce is crucial; • Keep up with competition; changes to face the fierce • Qualifications Framework (QF) is a platform to assist the society to build up a workforce that meets the ever-changing world through continuous education and training of manpower.