Propelling of New Quality Productive Forces & New Industrialisation by Empowering Registered Professional Engineers (RPEs) in Hong Kong Manufacturing Industry

 

The success of Hong Kong's new industrialization policy depends on actively engaging and empowering Registered Professional Engineers (RPEs) as one of the critical success factors across various industry sectors in Hong Kong. RPEs play a vital role in supporting manufacturers from various engineering and manufacturing perspectives up to the required professional standards. Encouraging for the involvement of RPEs, administered by the Engineers Registration Board (ERB), can help uplift the overall professionalism of Hong Kong's industries and potentially extend this to the Greater Bay Area (GBA) through mutual recognition agreements.

 

Without equipping and empowering RPEs within Hong Kong's manufacturing enterprises, numerous potential drawbacks[1] that impact to the industry professionalism are foreseen. The new industrialization policy may face anticipated challenges in achieving its objectives of building new economic growth by traditional industry upgrade, emerging industry development and future industry exploration. On the contrary, by equipping Hong Kong's manufacturing enterprises with the expertise and professionalism of RPEs, the new industrialization policy can leverage this valuable engineering talent resources to drive industry operational excellence, foster innovation, and enhance the overall competitiveness and professionalism as well as branding of “Made-in-HK”. Therefore there are many key advantages[2] arising from this proposed action for Hong Kong manufacturer to engage RPEs for the sake of industry development healthily.

 

To this end, the MIS division proposes to implement a comprehensive strategy to advocate the empowerment of RPEs through the following major perspectives:

 

1. Regulatory Incentives and Requirements

-          Introduce policies and regulations that mandate the involvement of RPEs in key manufacturing processes, such as product design, process optimization, safety assessments, and quality control.

-          Offer tax incentives, subsidies, or preferential treatment to manufacturing enterprises that prioritize the employment and utilization of RPEs within their operations.

-          Establish clear guidelines and compliance standards that require RPEs to oversee and validate critical engineering decisions and projects undertaken by manufacturers.

 

 

2. Awareness and Promotion Campaigns

-          Develop targeted awareness campaigns to educate manufacturing enterprises on the value and benefits of engaging RPEs in their operations.

-          Highlight successful case studies and industry examples demonstrating how the integration of RPEs has led to enhanced productivity, improved safety, and greater innovation.

-          Leverage industry associations, trade organizations, and government agencies to promote the role of RPEs and their contributions to the manufacturing sector.

-          Conduct an industry study for obtaining views and suggestions from industry in order to develop a stepwise approach (i.e. from voluntary to mandatory) for smooth migration.

 

3. Facilitated Networking and Collaboration

-          Organize regular forums, conferences, and networking events that bring together RPEs, manufacturing leaders, and industry stakeholders.

-          Facilitate matchmaking and collaboration opportunities, enabling manufacturers to connect with RPEs who possess the relevant expertise and experience to address their specific needs.

 

4. Talent Development and Upskilling

-          Collaborate with educational institutions and training providers to develop customized CPD programs that upskill and prepare RPEs to remain competent for the evolving demands of the manufacturing sector.

-          Encourage manufacturing enterprises to invest in the professional development and skills enhancement of their in-house RPEs, enhancing their value and competitiveness.

 

5. Procurement and Tendering Incentives

-          Incorporate mandatory RPE involvement as a key criterion in government procurement processes related to the manufacturing industry.

-          Provide preferential treatment or higher evaluation scores for manufacturing tenders and proposals that demonstrate the active participation of RPEs such as New Industrialisation Funding Scheme and Acceleration Scheme (NIFS/NIAS).

-          Ensure that the procurement and tendering processes incentivize manufacturers to engage RPEs throughout the project lifecycle, from design to implementation.

 

The developed strategy can encourage Hong Kong's manufacturers to embrace the expertise and contributions of RPEs. This multi-faceted approach will help strengthen the integration of RPEs in the manufacturing sectors, supporting the success of the new industrialisation policy and enhancing the overall competitiveness of Hong Kong's manufacturing enterprises. This strategic move will help expand Hong Kong's economic growth’s dimensions and manufacturing GDP in the long run.

 

 

Appendix 1 – Potential Drawbacks if Hong Kong's manufacturing sector does not equip and empower RPEs

 

1. Lack of Technical Expertise and Innovation

-          Without the involvement of RPEs, manufacturers may struggle to stay up-to-date with the latest engineering advancements and technological innovations.

-          Product quality, production efficiency, and process optimization may suffer without the specialized technical knowledge and problem-solving capabilities that RPEs can provide.

-          The manufacturing sector may miss out on opportunities to enhance its competitiveness through the integration of emerging technologies and the development of innovative solutions.

 

2. Operational Inefficiencies and Project Failures

-          Without the project management and coordination capabilities of RPEs, manufacturing enterprises may experience challenges in effectively planning, executing, and monitoring engineering projects.

-          This could lead to delays, cost overruns, and suboptimal resource allocation, ultimately hindering the overall productivity and profitability of the manufacturing sector.

-          The lack of RPE involvement may also contribute to communication breakdowns and coordination issues between different functions within manufacturing enterprises.

 

3. Compliance and Safety Risks

-          Without the oversight and guidance of RPEs, manufacturers may face challenges in ensuring compliance with relevant engineering standards, codes, and regulations.

-          This could expose the manufacturing sector to increased risks of accidents, liabilities, and reputational damage, which could undermine the overall success of the new industrialization policy.

-          Manufacturers may struggle to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and adapt to new requirements without the professional expertise of RPEs.

 

4. Talent Shortage and Knowledge Gaps

-          Without the active involvement of RPEs in talent development and knowledge sharing, the manufacturing sector may face challenges in building a skilled and knowledgeable workforce for business support.

-          The transfer of expertise and best practices from experienced RPEs to junior engineers and technicians could be limited, leading to knowledge gaps and a shortage of qualified personnel for business sustainability.

-          This could hinder the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the manufacturing sectors, as it may struggle to attract, develop, and retain the necessary engineering talent from over the world.

 

 

Appendix 2 – The key advantages of engaging RPEs in manufacturing to support the implementation of new industrialisation in Hong Kong

 

1. Innovation and Technology Integration

-          RPEs can bridge the gap between technological advancements and their practical application in the manufacturing environment and spearhead the integration of emerging technologies to enhance manufacturing capabilities and efficiency.

-          RPEs can drive innovation by conceptualizing, designing, and implementing new products, processes, and systems in order to achieve overall factory productivity and effectiveness.

 

2. System Compliance and Safety Assurance

-          RPEs ensure that product, manufacturing operations, equipment, and occupational health and safety adhere to relevant engineering standards, quality management systems, testing standard, rules and regulations and those sector-specific compliance systems.

-          They can mitigate risks and liabilities by identifying and addressing potential safety and compliance issues through a structured risk assessment and can provide valuable guidance on regulatory requirements compliance and help manufacturers navigate the evolving industry landscape for business sustainability.

 

3. Technical Expertise and Problem-Solving Capabilities

-          RPEs possess in-depth knowledge of engineering principles, design techniques, and manufacturing processes and therefore can provide technical solutions to address complex engineering challenges faced by manufacturers especially those emerging and future industries.

-          RPEs can help improve product design, production efficiency, process optimization and product quality through their specialized expertise.

 

4. Project Management and Coordination

-          RPEs can effectively manage engineering projects, from planning and execution to monitoring and control.

-          RPEs can serve as a vital link and coordinate cross-functional teams from multi-disciplines such as prototyping, design, planning, production, quality control, maintenance and reliability, and shipment logistics to ensure timely delivery, and optimize resource allocation and ultimately serve the community.

 

5. Talent Development and Knowledge Sharing

-          RPEs can contribute to the training and development of the manufacturing workforce, equipping them with the necessary technical skills and industry knowledge for continued talent development.

-          RPEs can also serve as mentors and subject matter experts, guiding and supporting the professional growth of junior engineers, technologists and technicians for talent sustainability growth in order to support continued industry advancement and migration to the next higher level of professionalism.