DSD is committed to providing a variety of training for its staff, enhancing their capabilities and knowledge while fostering their career and personal development. At the same time, we also place great emphasis on providing a safe and joyful working environment, alongside a variety of recreational activities to allow our colleagues to get to know each other, and cultivate a sense of belonging across DSD.
Staff Training and Development
Professional expertise and knowledge held by our staff are vital to our departmental operations and development. We held a total of 654 training activities in 2015-16, improving staff competence through induction courses, internal training, duty visits, overseas conferences, etc.
During the year, the average number of training hours of our staff was 33 hours, significantly higher than the city-wide average according to the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management. 1
| (1) | 18.5 hours, as published in the “2015 Training and Development Needs Survey” |
|---|
Average number of training hours per member of staff
Training
Induction Courses
We arrange induction courses for new recruits so that they have a thorough understanding of our works and work with us to fulfil the Department’s service pledges. In 2015-16, we held four induction courses for a total of 163 newcomers.
Occupational Safety and Health Training
In 2015-16, we offered orientation briefings for 63 participants, with several sessions on topics covering the OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System. We also held 10 types of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) training for over 270 colleagues.
OSH Training Courses
Other Safety Training Courses
Overseas Duty Visits
In addition to local training courses, we offer opportunities to make overseas duty visits to our staff for exchanging their expertise with foreign counterparts, learning from success stories, introducing state-of-the-art technology back in Hong Kong, and enhancing DSD’s service quality.
Water Resource Management Practices in Singapore
In May 2015, DSD colleagues visited Singapore to discuss and share their experiences on a range of topics with engineering experts from the nation’s Public Utilities Board (PUB), including climate change, water resources collection, production, distribution, and wastewater treatment. The delegation toured renowned engineering works across the city, including Marina Barrage, the Kallang River section within Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, and Changi Water Reclamation Plant.
Sharing session between DSD and PUB representatives
Kallang River section within Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
6th IWA-ASPIRE Conference and Exhibition
In September 2015, DSD colleagues attended the 6th IWA-ASPIRE Conference and Exhibition in Beijing, under the theme of “Sustainable Water Environment and Water Use”. They exchanged views with representatives from various countries and learnt the latest research results on flood prevention management as well as sewage treatment technologies.
Conference in progress
Shenzhen “Eco-River” Works
In September 2015, DSD accepted an invitation from Shenzhen River Regulation Office to make site visits at Futian, Dingshan and Longgang rivers which have just completed comprehensive regulation works. The delegation learnt about Shenzhen’s flood prevention strategies as well as its experiences with river channel revitalisation and ecological conservation.
Mr ZHU Wenbo, design consultant representative (Shenzhen), giving a background briefing on the regulation of Dingshan River
DSD delegation inspecting streamflow restoration at Longgang River
World Congress on Engineering Asset Management
In September 2015, our staff went to Finland to attend the 10th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management, organised and hosted by Tampere University of Technology in co-operation with VTT Technical Research Centre of the International Society of Engineering Asset Management. Over 90 papers were published by academics, practitioners, and scientists during the Congress. DSD’s colleagues shared their experiences with other attendees on the challenges of establishing ISO 55001 Asset Management systemsas well as our strategies and results. The exchange of views was conducive to the continued implementation of ISO 55001 Asset Management system in DSD.
DSD colleagues publishing their paper in the 10th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management
Sludge Treatment Facility in London
DSD colleagues visited a sewage treatment works in London in December 2015, exploring techniques and experiences in the application of thermal hydrolysis as well as the use of filter press systems. The information will assist in the feasibility evaluation for introducing these technologies in Hong Kong.
Thermal hydrolysis system
Filter press system
