The HKSAR government, professional bodies and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have joined hands in promoting quality-assured qualifications and exploring manpower needs of the logistics industry. A seminar themed "Qualifications Framework and Upgrading Logistics Workforce in Hong Kong" was held today (30 April 2012) on the PolyU campus. Qualifications Framework (QF), launched in 2008 by the government, is a seven-level hierarchy of qualifications covering the academic, vocational and continuing education sectors.

Organizing the event were the Logistics Industry Training Advisory Committee (ITAC) and the Qualifications Framework Secretariat. Coorganizers were the Hongkong Association of Freight Forwarding & Logistics Ltd. (HAFFA), the Hong Kong Shippers' Council (HKSC), The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport in Hong Kong (CILTHK) and the Faculty of Business at PolyU. It drew together over 200 professionals, human resources executives and academics.

Officiating at the event today were Professor Timothy W. Tong, President of PolyU and Ms Michelle Li, Deputy Secretary for Education of the Government's Education Bureau.

To keep pace with the development of logistics and related industries, Professor Tong emphasized that human resources planning is critical. As the only local university which offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate, research and professional postgraduate programmes in the discipline, PolyU has groomed more than 1,000 shipping and logistics graduates in the past four years from 2008 to 2011. Looking ahead, QF, in particular the Specification of Competency Standards (SCS), could be a useful guide for assessing industry needs, tailoring education programmes and finding a direction for learning. Professor Tong commented.

Ms Li said that 18 industries have joined QF, covering 45% of total workforce. Many of the tools under QF, such as the SCS and the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) mechanism were effective means to promote manpower development.

There was a keynote speech session facilitated by Dr David Ho, Group General Manager, Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Co Ltd. During the session, Mr Andy Tung, Chief Operating Officer, Orient Overseas Container Line (HK) Ltd, spoke on Opportunities and Challenges for the Maritime and Shipping Industry in Hong Kong, and Dr Kelvin Leung, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding, discoursed on Hong Kong as a Preferred Logistics Hub: Myths and Truths.

Following was a panel session on Learning and Qualifications facilitated by Dr Stephen Ng, President, Institute of Purchasing and Supply of Hong Kong. Professor Chung-lun Li, Head and Chair Professor of Logistics Management, Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, PolyU made a presentation on the Changing Landscape of University-level Programmes in Logistics and Maritime Studies. Mr Kenneth Bell, Managing Director, Hong Kong Air Cargo Industry Services Ltd, discussed QF and HR Solutions for Airfreight Cargo Terminals and Dr Paul Tsui, Chairman, HAFFA, spoke on QF Model of Progression Pathway: Sharing on Competency-based HRM.

The second panel session on Upgrading of Logistics Workforce was facilitated by Mr Sunny Ho, Executive Director, HKSC. Mr Peter Ng and Mr Jackson Tsang, members of Logistics ITAC, Dr Eva Cheng, Senior Manager of the Qualifications Framework Secretariat, and Ms Esther Fong, Project Director, New Senior Secondary of the Education Bureau, elaborated on the RPL mechanism, QF and support schemes, and adopting the new academic structure as the basis for HR development and recruitment.

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