Promotion of Racial Equality

Existing and planned measures on the promotion of racial equality

The main functions of the Construction Industry Council (named as “CIC” below) are to forge consensus on long-term strategic issues, convey the industry’s needs and aspirations to Government, as well as provide a communication channel for Government to solicit advice on all construction-related matters. In order to propagate improvements across the entire industry, CIC is empowered to formulate codes of conduct, administer registration and rating schemes, steer forward research and manpower development, facilitate adoption of construction standards, promote good practices and compile performance indicators.

CIC annually trained around 80 000 construction practitioners, including workers of diverse race, through full-time programmes, part-time programmes and Collaborative Training Schemes. Moreover, CIC also provides trade tests to the construction practitioners (including civil and building construction trade tests, construction-related electrical and mechanical trade tests and certification tests for machineries and crane operation).

Services Concerned

• The CIC is committed to creating a working and living environment that provides equal opportunity, and is free of any discrimination, harassment and vilification for all its employees, trainees, visitors and the public.
• Under Section 29 of the Construction Industry Council Ordinance, the CIC established the “Construction Industry Training Board” to provide training courses and trade testing services for the construction industry.

Existing Measures

Policy

• The CIC formulated its Equal Opportunity Policy to ensure that all employees shall not discriminate, harass or vilify any other employee of CIC, students, visitors, or any CIC service users. The Equal Opportunity Policy was endorsed by the CIC and issued to all CIC staff.

Staff Training

• CIC arranges regular training courses on Equal Opportunities to both front line staff and managerial staff to pursue its Equal Opportunity Policy.  Representatives of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) would share with CIC’s staff the Race Discrimination Ordinance with focus on areas related with vocational training.

Training and Trade Test Services to People of Diverse Race

• CIC currently offers 4 full-time short courses in English to equip the trainees who wish to pursue a career in the construction industry with specific craft skills.  Students will receive daily allowances during the course of training. To further enhance the services, CIC will recruit additional translators to assist in the delivery of training courses.
• CIC currently offers 28 part-time safety-related courses in English to enhance the safety awareness of non-Chinese speaking in-service construction practitioners.
• CIC rolled out 5 part-time courses under “Skills Enhancement Courses for Ethnic Minorities” in 2015 to train registered general workers to become registered semi-skilled workers for the relevant trades.
• English test papers are available for most trade tests and certification tests for machineries and crane operation.  CIC also allows the candidates to be accompanied by translators (arranged by CIC) during testing.
• HKIC offers the Foundation Certificate in Construction Vocational Cantonese to help EM communicate in simple Cantonese in the construction work environment or daily life. The course fee $500 will be refunded upon award of certificate.
• For EM who can communicate in Cantonese, they can enroll in courses taught in Cantonese supplemented with English notes.

Promotional Activities

• CIC conducts the following promotional activities to attract people of diverse race to attend training courses and trade tests organised:

1. Regular visits to in-service practitioners of diverse race;
2. Outreach activities to people of diverse race through organisations serving them and media channels they regularly contact; and
3. Experience programmes for people of diverse race, such as career talks, carnivals and job matching fairs cum family fun days, to raise their understanding of the construction industry;

• CIC developed English teaching materials for Liberal Studies.  CIC collaborates with relevant secondary schools and non-governmental organizations serving people of diverse race to let their students have a more thorough understanding of the construction industry.

Ethnic Minority Service Team

• In view of the increasing number of practitioners of diverse race, CIC set up the Ethnic Minority Service Team to enhance its services and support to people of diverse race, including:

1. Regularly visiting related organizations and communities to promote CIC services;
2. Translating trade testing mock test paper into languages used by people of diverse race;
3. Providing interpretation and translation services to candidates and students; and
4. Organizing and participating in activities to promote CIC services.

Assessment of Future Work

• CIC reviews its Equal Opportunity Policy every year.
• CIC will continue to provide the most updated information to its staff and students to increase their awareness and sensitivity on racial equality.
• CIC would keep under review the demand and effectiveness of the above courses.
• CIC will continue to seek opinions from groups of diverse race on the current measures and support services provided in relation to construction training and trade test, and will develop courses and services in response to their needs.

Additional Measures Taken/To Be Taken

Provision of courses and trade tests

• CIC will consider offering other appropriate courses and trade tests in English should the demand arise in future.

Trade Testing Paper in Languages used by People of Diverse Race

• Launch the pilot scheme to provide trade test papers in three languages (i.e. Nepali, Hindi and Urdu) for the trades that are more popular among people of diverse race. CIC will consider translating other test papers to the three mentioned languages.

Sub-committee on Ethnic Minorities in Construction

• CIC has set up a Sub-committee on Ethnic Minorities in Construction to promote construction industry to people of diverse race and continuously enhance CIC services.

Ethnic Minority Service Team

With the formation of the Ethnic Minority Service Team, it is expected the scope of services for ethnic minorities will be expanded. CIC is planning to form focus groups to study the trade-specific needs of ethnic minority practitioners.

Please find below for the other Ethnic Minority language versions of the existing and planned measures on the promotion of racial equality:

Interpretation and Translation Services Arranged

For enquiries concerning the existing and planned measures on the promotion of racial equality, please contact the office-in-charge:

Telephone no.: (852) 2100 9000
Contact: Ms. Alanna Tsui, Ethnic Minority Service Team
Fax no.: (852) 2100 9249
Email: [email protected]
Postal Address: 38/F, COS Centre, 56 Tsun Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Construction Industry Council

May 2023