Survey: nearly 80% of service sector employees see the need for vocational training

A recent survey by the Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM) revealed that 79.3% of respondents deemed vocational training either “very necessary” or “necessary.” Still, 62% did not participate in vocational training over the past year.

The survey, which focused on the vocational training status of service industry employees in Macau, was conducted collaboratively by the FAOM and the Service Sector Employees’ General Association of Macau between January and May of the current year. 1,336 valid responses were collected from participants.

The findings noted that 62% of respondents had not engaged in vocational training over the past year, while 15% and 1.4%, respectively, felt the training they had was of little help and almost no help. In contrast, 11.4% believed vocational training was very helpful, and 72.2% considered it somewhat helpful.

The results indicated that 79.3% of respondents viewed vocational training as “very necessary” or “necessary.” However, a significant share (37.6%) reported that their workplaces did not offer training. Additional barriers to training included a lack of time, courses that did not align with their needs, high costs, and 40% felt that there were insufficient types of courses available.

Among the respondents, 65.5% indicated they require financial support from companies or the government to participate in training. The most sought-after training formats included online learning, in-person classroom instruction, and on-the-job practical training.

Additionally, nearly 47.2% of respondents rated their understanding of vocational training policies as “average” or lower. Of those surveyed, 58.1% rely on their employers for training information, while other sources include employment service agencies and the internet.

The survey emphasized a significant concern regarding the low participation rate in training programs among employees in Macau’s service industry.

In this context, Leong Sun Iok, incumbent lawmaker-cum-vice president of FAOM, urged the government to concentrate on three key areas, namely, implementing tax incentives to encourage businesses to invest in employee training; introducing flexible working hours and paid training leave while establishing training subsidies and creating a centralized platform for training information; and ensuring that training programs are closely aligned with career development pathways and establishing a comprehensive skills certification system.

Additionally, Leong advocated for collaboration among various stakeholders, including the government, businesses, and civil society organizations, to jointly enhance vocational training initiatives.

The lawmaker also believes that the government should accelerate the launch of a vocational training information platform, assign dedicated personnel to ensure timely updates, and establish a policy feedback mechanism to gather input from businesses and practitioners.

Responding to respondents’ demand for international service training, he remarked that Macau should fully leverage its geographical advantages within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area to enhance vocational training cooperation with other cities.