Task force meets to address IT manpower needs

November 6, 2000

The Task Force on IT Manpower set up under the Information Infrastructure Advisory Committee (IIAC) to assist the Government to address the IT manpower needs in Hong Kong held its first meeting last Friday (November 3).

Shortage of IT manpower supply is a global phenomenon arising from the rapid development of Internet applications and e-commerce, a spokesman for the Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau said today (November 6).

"While Hong Kong has been investing heavily in developing local talents through tertiary and vocational training, there is a need to increase the supply of IT professionals and practitioners to meet the market demand," he said.

"To address industry's concern, the IIAC has agreed that a designated task force, with representatives from the demand and supply sides, should be set up to critically examine this issue."

The task force consists of a well mix of stakeholders, including IIAC members, representatives from major IT professional bodies, trade associations, local universities and vocational training institutes and officials from the relevant bureaux and departments.

At its first meeting chaired by Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, Mrs Carrie Yau, the task force examined the existing sources of IT manpower supply in Hong Kong and took a snapshot on what measures were being undertaken by overseas countries in developing IT manpower.

Members of the task force were also briefed on the major findings and recommendations of the report of the consultancy study on IT manpower supply and training needs commissioned by the Education and Manpower Bureau as well as the immigration policies for admission of foreign talents and professionals to Hong Kong.

The task force will meet on a monthly basis. At its next meeting to be held in mid-December, it will further discuss issues such as training courses offered by private sector bodies and accreditation of basic IT skills. The discussion papers of the task force are available in the homepage of the ITBB (www.info.gov.hk/itbb).

The following is the membership list of the Task Force on IT Manpower :

Chairperson :
Mrs Carrie Yau, Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting

Members :
Mr Anthony Au
President, Hong Kong Information Technology Federation

Prof Francis Chin
Chair of Computer Science Department of Computer Science & Information Systems
The University of Hong Kong

Dr Kan Wing-kay
Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Chinese University of Hong Kong

The Hon Sin Chung-kai
Member of the Legislative Council

Mr Yip Chee-tim
Vice Principal, Pui Ching Middle School

Mr Thomas Tang
Executive Director, Hong Kong Productivity Council

Dr Fred Mak
Deputy Executive Director, Vocational Training Council

Mr S S Kwong
Executive Director, Employees Retraining Board

Mr Peter Barrett
Member, Human Resources Committee and e-Committee,
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce

Mr Daniel Lai
President, Hong Kong Computer Society

Mr Fong Man-hung, David
Standing Committee Member
The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce

Mr C S Ng
Chairman, Information and Software Industries Association

Prof Franklin Luk
Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Chinese University of Hong Kong

Dr Yan Xu
Assistant Professor, Department of Information & Systems Management
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Prof Po S Chung,
Vice President (Research) & Dean of Graduate Studies
City University of Hong Kong

Mr Philip Chok,
Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower

Secretary :
Mr Wallace Lau
Assistant Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting

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