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Warwick Manufacturing Group to train 1000 Chinese manufacturing graduates

A federation of 6000 Chinese manufacturers has commissioned Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick to train 200 graduates a year for the next 5 years.

The agreement was signed by the Director of Warwick Manufacturing Group, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya and the President of the Professional Validation Council of Hong Kong Industries (PVCHK), Mr. Stanley Lau, MH JP.

Hong Kong industries are facing a serious labour shortage problem in engineering and technology management. At present, there are more than 80,000 Hong Kong industrial enterprises in China employing almost 20 million people. It is estimated that more than 100,000 engineering and management new posts per year are required to support the growth of the industries. However, Hong Kong universities are only training up 3,000-4,000 full time engineering students each year which is far less than the demand from the industry.

Severe shortages of engineering graduates for entry level positions has prompted the PVCHK and WMG to set up this new Engineering Graduate Development Scheme. Hong Kong more manufacturers have already pledged over 80 scholarships (£2000 each) amounting to HK$2.5 million to students who are taking up WMG MSc courses. This figure will rise to 200 scholarships a year for 5 years.

Mr. Stanley Lau said, "The Hong Kong industry is highly supportive to local engineering students. We hope that the scheme will revive students' interest in engineering, as well as attract high quality students from all over the world to come to Hong Kong to serve the industry, and together we will write a brand new chapter for the manufacturing industry."

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya said manufacturing engineering is the source of every industry. "… without manufacturing industry and without a product, there will be no business, accounting and finance, and there will be no other service sectors at all. Manufacturing industry is the source, and the origin of all businesses."

For further information please contact:

Peter Dunn, Press and Media Relations Manager
University of Warwick 07767 655860
02476 523708 p.j.dunn@warwick.ac.uk

PR8 24th January 2007