A new 26-episode TV series sponsored by the Workplace English Campaign, designed to encourage employees in different industries to raise their standards of English, will make its debut tomorrow (30 November).

The series, "Workplace English", will be broadcast on two local TV channels every Sunday.

It is produced by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) with $650,000 in sponsorship from the Language Fund.

"English is an international language," the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, Mr Michael Tien, said today (29 November).  "An English-proficient workforce is vital to the maintenance and enhancement of Hong Kong's competitive edge as Asia's World City."

Combining drama and interviews with employees in different industries, "Workplace English" illustrates the use of English in various work contexts.

The Centre for Professional and Business English of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is the adviser on programme content.

"Workplace English" also has its own webpage on ETV Online (http://www.etvonline.tv) to provide English learning resources, such as common and practical English phrases and examples of everyday use of English in the workplace.

"Workplace English" will cover such industries as logistics, public transport, retail, exhibitions and conferences, insurance and banking.  The 26 programmes will be shown on two free-to-air TV channels every Sunday, beginning 30 November.

The broadcast schedule is: 
TV Channel & Time 
TVB Jade – 6:20 p.m., every Sunday 
ATV Home – 7:50 a.m. (horse-racing days); 3:55 p.m. (non-horse-racing days), every Sunday