Hong Kong Management Association

Press Releases

HKMA & HCREM Co-Organize Property and Facilities Management Programme
for Non-Property Management Professionals

28/10/2002

For Immediate Release

HKMA & HCREM CO-ORGANIZE PROPERTY AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME FOR NON-PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS

According to the newly released figures by the SAR Government yesterday(21 October), the unemployment rate (July to September) in Hong Kong remained high at 7.4 %. The extensive layoffs and salary cuts, lingering around the local workforce for a long time, affected not only the frontline workers, but also the middle managers. Under such a sluggish economic environment, the property management industry is full proof against recession and provides tremendous opportunities for those job seekers and executives aspiring to pursue career in the field.

The growth of the property management industry has been very impressive over the past decade, resulting from two major developments. Firstly, there is an increasing trend towards the outsourcing of part of the property and facility management services such as maintenance and repairs, security and guarding services by many private enterprises, tertiary institutes and government departments in order to reduce the operating costs. Taking Hsin Chong Real Estate Management Ltd (HCREM) as an example. In mid 2002, it was appointed by the Government Property Agency to provide property management services for its twenty-four property items. These projects have created more than 500 vacancies in the market. Apart from frontline workers, a large number of professional property managers are also required to supervise the property management operation.

In addition, it is expected that China’s entry into the WTO will inevitably increase the demand for high quality property and facility management services for commercial buildings and factories in cities like Beijing, Shanghai. Shenzhen and Guangzhou. A huge number of property management professionals would therefore be needed. Nevertheless, people with the much needed skills and knowledge are seriously lacking in the Mainland and they are increasingly looking to the property management companies in Hong Kong for such services.

Opportunities to Pursue Career in the Property Management Industry

To cope with the rapid development of the property management industry, the Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA) and HCREM jointly organize the Certificate Programme on Property and Facility Management for Non-Property Management Professionals. The aim of the programme is to provide practical property and facility management training to non-property management executives with substantial managerial experience and plan to pursue their career in the field.

Mr C H Fan, Director and General Manager of HCREM expressed that “the provision of this programme has dual purposes. Most of the property management programmes currently offered in the market are mainly focusing on frontline staff training, failing to meet the demand of the middle management executives. In view of the economic restructuring of Hong Kong, many managers, who possess invaluable managerial experience that are urgently needed in the industry, are facing the threats of redundancy and streamlining. It is hoped that through this programme, they would be equipped with the much needed skills and knowledge in preparation for their future career development in the industry. Instead of intensifying the unemployment problem, they would then continue their contribution to the society. For HCREM and for the industry as a whole, the programme can help nurture more quality property management professionals which is indeed important to our continuous development.”

Four Key Features of the Programme:

An All-rounded Programme Developing Middle Management for the Property Management Industry

The programme content has been very comprehensive covering eight key areas which are crucial for the future career development in the property management industry. They include the overview of property management, the security and guarding services ordinance and security management, maintenance and repairs, handling emergency at sites, financial management, quality management system, total quality management and a new way of property management.

Mr Fan mentioned that “upon completion of the programme, students will be eligible for applying for the position of management trainees and climb up the career ladder (Appendix 1) according to their capabilities and performance. In Hsin Chong, one can easily quote numerous examples of outstanding staff getting promotions from frontline officer to area manager within a few years.”

A Programme Emphasizing Excellent Communication Skills

Property management is a people-oriented industry. In addition to in-depth industry knowledge, the key to success of a property manager is to have excellent interpersonal communication skills so as to establish a good customer relationship. The programme is especially suitable for participants who possess extensive experience in the service industries.

A Programme Delivered by Experienced HCREM Staff

All the lecturers of the programme are experienced and senior managers from HCREM who could share not only the most up-to-date industry knowledge and development, but also their practical experience with the course participants. Their professionalism is indeed a guarantee of the programme quality.

A Programme Offering Educational Subsidy

In order to encourage more interested and qualified applicants, the HCREM will subsidize participants who have completed the programme (with a minimum of 80% attendance of total lecture hours and pass the mid term and final project) half of the course fee (HKMA member: HK$1,400 non-member: HK$ 1,650).

Certificate Programme on Property and Facilities Management for Non-Property Management Professionals

Contents	Overview of Property Management The Security and Guarding Services Ordinance and Security Management Maintenance & Repair Handling Emergency at Sites Financial Management Quality Management System Total Quality Management A New Way of Property Management
Commencement Date	Thursday, 19 December 2002 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm (every Thursday)
Deadline for Application	Friday, 13 December 2002
Venue	The Hong Kong Management Association 2-4 -/Fls Pico Tower 66 Gloucester Road Wanchai HONG KONG
Admission Requirement	Applicants should have: a degree from a tertiary institute in Hong Kong or overseas a minimum of two years’ managerial experience
Medium	Cantonese (supplemented with English)
Fees	HKMA member: HK$ 2,900 Non-member: HK$ 3,300
Enquiries	2774 8500 (Customer Service Department) 2774 8576 (Ms Ann Poon) or 2774 8554 (Ms Candy Ho)

About Hsin Chong Real Estate Management Ltd

Hsin Chong Real Estate Management Ltd, a subsidiary of Hsin Chong Group, was incorporated in 1978. It is one of the well-established property management companies in Hong Kong, which provides property management services to Hsin Chong Group, local renowed property developers, the Hong Kong Housing Authority, the Government Property Agency and many other Owners Incorporations. Hsin Chong currently employs over 2,500 staff and manages over 155 properties including over 120,000 residential units and 6,180,000 sq. ft. government office buildings, commercial properties, shopping centres and industrial buildings.

Since the implementation of Total Quality Management in early 90s, the Company's operation management and quality management has been significantly enhanced and it can be demonstrated by the following external endorsements.

2002.	Awarded the "Award for Excellence in Training 2002 - Silver Prize" by the Hong Kong Management Association Awarded the "2002 Best Property Management Agent -– of Shopping Center" by the Hong Kong Housing Authority
2001.	Awarded the "2001 HKMA Quality Award - Overall Winner" by the Hong Kong Management Association Elected the "Best Property Management Company" by the Hong Kong Housing Authority for 8 consecutive years from 1994 to 2001
2000.	Won the "Good People Management Award 2000" by the Labour Department Awarded the first "Best Practice Awards - Customer Service" by the Best Practice Management Received the “Hong Kong Awards for Service- Certificate of Recognition in Customer Service” Won the Silver Award of the "Good Housekeeping Plan" organized by the Occupational Safety & Health Council Awarded the “Merit Prize of Employers’ Gold Star Award” by the Employees Retraining Board
1999.	Awarded the "1999 HKMA Quality Award - Certificate of Merit" by Hong Kong Management Association Received the "HKPC Productivity Award for Services" for two consecutive years in 1998 and 1999 Awarded the "1999 Hong Kong Quality Circle Award" by Hong Kong Productivity Council and Hong Kong Quality Management Association

About The Hong Kong Management Association

The Hong Kong Management Association was established in 1960. As a non-profit-making professional organization, its mission is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of management in Hong Kong.

Over the past four decades, the Association has been dedicated to providing Hong Kong with the management training, skills and experience it needs to succeed. Offering annually over 2,400 training programmes to more than 57,000 participants, the HKMA is one of the largest providers of management training and education in the Territory.

The HKMA also offers free services to both members and the business community at large. "The Hong Kong Manager", a bilingual professional journal on management, was first published in 1965. Members can now get access to it free of charge through the website of the Association: www.hkma.org.hk.

To cultivate a general culture of modern management, a series of Awards has been organized. These include the Best Annual Reports Awards, the HKMA Quality Award, the Award for Excellence in Training, the HKMA/TVB Award for Marketing Excellence, the Hongkong Management Game and the Distinguished Salesperson Award.

(Appendix 1)