The Company works with the civil engineering and construction departments at respective major colleges and universities throughout the country by organizing the summer internship program. This year, as recommended by faculties at the Civil Engineering Department of National Chung Hsing University, the Construction Department at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology and Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Civil Engineering Department of Feng Chia University, and Construction Department of Chaoyang University of Technology, a total of 12 quality students officially began the 8-week internship program in July. The internship program mainly deals with the management of construction projects in the field. High-ranking supervisors are arranged to provide intensive personal guidance on quality management, labor safety and health, drawing reading and trial, among other practices long with field observation and hands-on sessions. The theory is the foundation while field practice is the aid. Emphasis is placed on passing down experience and developing fundamental engineers. This collaborative project not only helps students combine theory and practice in one but also offers ideas and advice about employment in the future. Every student indicated upon completion of the internship program that they benefited significantly.

The beam-raising ceremony took place this morning (the 16th) for the Taichung Marine Biology and Aquarium. The whole building’s exterior is made of rocks and stones from the Dajia River and combines the image of white dolphins and ideas about conservation and recovery. Inside the building is a large tank that is nine meters deep and holds up to 700 tons of water to showcase the jelly fish and local marine creatures and plants that are the most abundant in Taiwan. Mayor Chia-Lung Lin indicates that in addition to ecological education, the marine biology aquarium combines restaurants and outdoor coffee shops. The beautiful Taiwan Strait will also be visible. Various scenic spots such as the coastal line dual star and MITSUI Outlet are combined so that the world can see the beauty of Taichung.

A Thousand People Participate in the Family Clay Contest In order to answer to the aesthetic education policy, the Taichung City Government and Kong Chou Construction hold the Family Clay Contest each year together. The theme this year is “Miracle With Flowers and Chickens”. “Flowers” are combined as part of the theme particularly because of the 2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition. By playing with clay, children receive aesthetic education. This contest was open to families; it helped boost family relationships and promote clay art. The 19th Kong Chou Cup Family Clay Contest and Grandparent Clay Work Creativity Contest took place today (the 6th) at Shalu Elementary School. There was the evergreen group for grandparents, the Hongyu group for slow growers, the children’s group, the lower-grade group, mid-grade group, and high-grade group for elementary school students, six groups in total, with more than 1,000 participants. It was a noisy and heart-warming occasion. The Education Bureau indicates that clay art is the education proactively promoted throughout Taichung City. It has the first art syllabus in Taiwan. It is promoted among teachers to form a clay art community to advance their teaching skills. Seed schools researched and developed the City’s exclusive clay art aid and teaching approach. In addition, teachers are being developed through empowerment seminars for clay art teachers on campus. There are also clay artists and clay art volunteers on campus that jointly promote clay art. On holidays, there are family clay-making events, too, to allow clay art to reach out to families and communities to become a national movement. The Education Bureau expects to complete an official kiln in the Dajia District of Taichung City next year to serve as the outdoor teaching site for students and the clay art teaching promotion center. It is hoped that by learning clay art, it will help build confidence in the students and enable them to apply diversified intelligence and affection. The aesthetic education begins during childhood to develop a taste and for the balanced development of the body, the heart, and the mind. NOWnews Rong-Jun Liu/ Taichung 6:13 pm, May 6, 2017

The groundbreaking ceremony took place in the Houli Horse Ranch, presided over by Mayor Chia-Lung Lin and Director Sheng-Shan Chen of the Tourism and Travel Bureau. Vice Director-General Mao-Xiang Su of the Agriculture and Food Agency, City Councilors Ben-Tian Chen and Mei-Chun Weng, Legislator Ci-Yong Hung, and City Councilor Jacky Chen's office representative were invited to witness the ceremony; it was a noisy event. The 2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition was determined to be a national major construction project. The three exhibition areas are the Waipu Park Area, the Houli Horse Ranch & Forest Park Area, and the Fengyuan Huludun Park Area. The Houli Horse Ranch & Forest Park Area spans around 30.04 hectares in area. The Taichung World Flora Exposition trial operation began in September 2018 and it was officially opened in November 2018. The Tourism and Travel Bureau indicates that the Horse Ranch Park Area is built on existing horse ranch space with renovations. Related facilities in the horse ranch were restored to match the Flora Expo and the historical traces of the horse ranch were retained. By reproducing the essence of the site, the Houli Horse Ranch came to life again significantly and enables people to have an innovative recreational experience. The park area consists of two permanent exhibition halls, namely the Gorgeous Flowers Hall and the equestrian obstacle race field. Taking advantage of the 2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition, horses and flower, the two elements, were combined to shape the theme park, horse ranch floral paradise.

☆Open Your Mind National Education Radio Interview - Kong Chou Cup Family Clay Works Exhibition☆

“Kong Chou - Donation Ceremony of Neighborhood Circuit Service Vehicle” Kong Chou Construction took the lead this morning by donating a neighborhood circuit service vehicle, which is also the only such vehicle available in Taichung City. Social workers say that in the past, to serve a neighborhood, they had to walk or ride a scooter. Some mountainous or outlying areas, however, were not reachable by scooters. Existing vehicles available for use were old and often broke down in the Lishan and Heping mountainous areas. With the service vehicle donated by Kong Chou, “we do not have to be afraid of going anywhere any more”! Director Chien-Te Lu of the Social Affairs Bureau, Taichung City Government, says that not only are the neighborhood circuit service vehicles lacking, there are also only four shuttle buses available to pick up the elderly and drive them to 16 day care centers in 29 areas; they are in serious shortage. It is hoped that at least one shuttle bus should be available in each area so that it is more convenient for the elderly to come to class. In addition, there are 120,000 disabled people throughout Taichung and the existing number of rehabilitation buses, more than 200, is insufficient, too. People often have no bus to pick them up. New buses are urgently needed, too.

2017 Kong Chou Family Clay Works Exhibition

The Taichung Stage 2 Workshops Project of the Taichung City Precision Machinery Innovation Technology Park groundbreaking ceremony on March 15, 2017 was completed successfully!