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Human resources41,42In the light of the continual labour shortage in the industry, it is crucial to introduce measures and funding to meet the manpower demand. In 2014, the Government established a HKD 100 million Maritime and Aviation Training Fund (MATF) to cultivate professionals and technical personnel in the maritime and aviation industries by providing training opportunities and scholarships locally. The MATF was further funded with HKD 200 million in 2019. The scheme has been well received and more than 4,900 people have benefited from it.As training and educational schemes may be highly specialised due to the nature of maritime activities, the private sector may initiate training abroad. The FSDC has pointed out that some competing jurisdictions also support private sector initiatives. Therefore, the Government should consider expanding the coverage of the MATF to cover initiatives of the private sector. Also, since the scope of the MATF covers only the maritime and aviation industries, the training needs for land transport and the logistics industry are not addressed. Hence, we also suggest that the MATF should be expanded to cover these sectors.To enhance the capability and competitiveness of the local workforce, the Government launched the Hong Kong Qualification Framework (HKQF) in 2008 and established a seven-level hierarchy covering qualifications in the academic, vocational and professional education sectors. The HKQF intends to serve as unified competency and experience standards for industry practitioners, providing clearer guidance in hiring and promotion. However, some practitioners commented that companies in general were not familiar with the HKQF, and low-skilled workers lacked the motivation to participate in it since the market was always short of manpower.We believe that the HKQF is a good step forward to promote career prospects and establish a professional image for the logistics industry. Various Industry Training Advisory Committees (ITACs) were established to consult on the HKQF. These ITACs consist of representatives of employers, employees and other bodies of the relevant industries. The Government can leverage on the feedback provided by them in reviewing manpower demand and formulating manpower policies. In addition, the Government should also continue to promote the HKQF to the industry, and encourage educational institutions to design training and education that fit the competency standards set by the HKQF.5. Expand coverage of Maritime and Aviation Training Fund to support training and education initiated by private sectors6. Review manpower demand and leverage on the Hong Kong Qualification Framework to design suitable training and education41 Financial Services Development Council. (2018). Maritime Leasing Paper. 42 Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies. (2013). 香港物流業中小企業挑戰、機遇與應對策略. 98