HKPC Academy, VTC and Fraunofer IPT to launch the first Professional Diploma in Industry 4.0

To strengthen Hong Kong industry awareness of “Industry 4.0” and enhance the relevant skills of practitioners in the industry, the HKPC Academy of the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), the Vocational Training Council (VTC) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (Fraunhofer IPT) from Germany have joined forces to launch Hong Kong’s first Professional Diploma Programme in Industry 4.0.

A signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding for the new programme was held today (22 March 2018), witnessed by Mr Nicholas Yang, Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government; Ms Annie Choi, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology; Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC; Professor Eric Yim, Deputy Chairman of VTC; Mr Mohamed D. Butt, Executive Director of HKPC; Mrs Carrie Yau, Executive Director of VTC; and Mr Benny Drescher, Head of Invention Center of Hong Kong; and signed by Dr Lawrence Cheung, Director (Technology Development) of HKPC; Dr Eric Liu, Deputy Executive Director of VTC; and Mr Toni Drescher, Head of Technology Management of Fraunhofer IPT.

Mr Lin said, “For Hong Kong companies wishing to jump on the Industry 4.0 bandwagon, they must first have the necessary personnel and knowledge. With this new professional diploma programme, Hong Kong workers will be able to acquire the practical knowledge and skills in the relevant areas of Industry 4.0 so that they can subsequently take them back to their companies for smooth and effective adoption.”

Professor Yim said, “The concept of Industry 4.0 which advocates smart manufacturing and smart city development is in the global spotlight. To help Hong Kong industry transform into smart enterprises, with the input from HKPC and Fraunhofer IPT, we are confident that the new programme in Industry 4.0 will enable us to nurture more home-grown professionals and improve the capability of industry practitioners with the latest knowledge and technology.”

Accredited as a Qualifications Framework Level 4 course, the new professional diploma programme comprises four modules, namely implementation of Industry 4.0, cyber physical system, smart automation, and Internet of Things application. Programme enrolment will start in June while classes will begin in July. Students are eligible to apply for the Engineering Training Subsidy Scheme that would provide at maximum a 60% refund on tuition fees for successful applicants.

To help Hong Kong companies keep abreast of the latest development in Industry 4.0, the “Smart Industry One Consortium” was also launched today. Initiated by HKPC, it is a new cross industry platform to facilitate better and swifter information exchange on smart industry, assisting enterprises to become smart and innovative.

Manufacturers, suppliers and academics are welcome to join the Consortium and enjoy a host of benefits such as Fraunhofer IPT-certified Industry 4.0 consultant services, free admission to specified Industry 4.0 activities and case sharing seminars, discounts on Industry 4.0 training courses and study missions, and one-day on-site Industry 4.0 assessment (corporate members only) etc.

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About Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC)
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a multi-disciplinary organization established by statute in 1967. HKPC’s mission is to promote productivity excellence through the provision of integrated support across the value chain of Hong Kong firms, in order to achieve a more effective utilization of resources, to enhance the value-added content of products and services, and to increase international competitiveness. For more information, please visit HKPC‘s website: www.hkpc.org

About Vocational Training Council (VTC)
Established in 1982, the Vocational Training Council (VTC) is the largest vocational and professional education and training provider in Hong Kong with some 250,000 students and trainees each year. The mission of VTC is to provide a valued choice to school leavers and working people to acquire the values, knowledge and skills for lifelong learning and enhanced employability, and also to provide support to industries for their manpower development. VTC has 13 member institutions, namely the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) , the Institute of Professional Education And Knowledge (PEAK) , the School for Higher and Professional Education (SHAPE) , the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) , the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) , Hotel and Tourism Institute (HTI) , Chinese Cuisine Institute (CCI) , International Culinary Institute (ICI) , Maritime Services Training Institute (MSTI) , Youth College , Pro-Act by VTC , Integrated Vocational Development Centre (IVDC) and Shine Skills Centre.

VTC web site: www.vtc.edu.hk

Media Enquiries:
Felix Chan 
Corporate Development Division, HKPC 
Tel.: (852) 2788 5036 
Email: felixchan@hkpc.org

Miranda Ip
External Relations Office, VTC
Tel.: (852) 2836 1047
Email: mirandaip@vtc.edu.hk

General Enquiries:
Professional Diploma Programme in Industry 4.0 
Duncan Tang 
Engineering Discipline In-service Training Office, IVE (Tsing Yi)
Tel.: (852) 3757 9195 
Email: khtang@vtc.edu.hk

Smart Industry One Consortium
Fion Chan
Smart Manufacturing and Materials Division, HKPC
Tel.: (852) 2788 6053
Email: fionchan@hkpc.org.

 
Witnessed by Mr Nicholas Yang, Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government (back row, centre); Ms Annie Choi, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (back row, third left); Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC (back row, third right); Professor Eric Yim, Deputy Chairman of VTC (back row, second left); Mr Mohamed D. Butt, Executive Director of HKPC (back row, second right); Mrs Carrie Yau, Executive Director of VTC (back row, first left); and Mr Benny Drescher, Head of Invention Center of Hong Kong (back row, first right); Dr Lawrence Cheung, Director (Technology Development) of HKPC (front row, centre); Dr Eric Liu, Deputy Executive Director of VTC (front row, left); and Mr Toni Drescher, Head of Technology Management of Fraunhofer IPT (front row, right), sign the MoU for Hong Kong’s first Professional Diploma Programme in Industry 4.0
Mr Nicholas Yang, Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government (centre); Ms Annie Choi, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (fifth left); Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC (fifth right); Professor Eric Yim, Deputy Chairman of VTC (fourth left); Mr Mohamed D. Butt, Executive Director of HKPC (fourth right); Mrs Carrie Yau, Executive Director of VTC (third left); Dr Lawrence Cheung, Director (Technology Development) of HKPC (first left); Mr Gordon Lo, Director (Business Management) of HKPC (first right); Dr Eric Liu, Deputy Executive Director of VTC (second left); Mr Toni Drescher, Head of Technology Management of Fraunhofer IPT (third right), and Mr Benny Drescher, Head of Invention Center of Hong Kong (second right), officiate the launch of the HKPC-initiated Smart Industry One Consortium