REHABILITATION OF AIR PERSONNEL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13430, 18 April 1944, Page 6

REHABILITATION OF AIR PERSONNEL

PREPARATIONS ARK MADE WORK OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES Close contact between the Air Department and the Rehabilitation Board is being maintained to ensure that personnel of the Royal New Zealand Air Force have at least an equal chance with the members of the other armed forces of entering professions and trades on their return to civil life. Through the operation of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Educational Services, under the direction of Wing Commander E. Caradus, facilities have been set up to enable men to qualify for responsible positions in civilian professions and trades.

In an interview on the progress of this work. Wing Commander Caradus said that an education officer and sometimes more than one had been appointed to every major station in New Zealand. These officers were recently called to Wellington for a conference at which they were made thoroughly familiar with the proposals for rehabilitation. The Minister of Rehabilitation. Major C. F. Skinner M.C., and the member of the Rehabilitation Board responsible for trade training. Mr S. W. Gaspar, both addressed the officers.

Wing Commander Caradus pointed out that there were many experienced tradesmen in the Air Force, who had no status in civil life simply because their Air Force qualification, though an excellent one, was not recognised by the responsible civil authorities. The question of obtaining recognition for these qualifications had been taken up and already considerable progress had been made towards the required end. He also pointed out that there were many other men partially qualified in different professions and trades, who, during their period of service in the Air Force, could be given the additional training required to make them fully qualified. This avenue was being thoroughly explored.

The education officers appointed for this work were men with considerable teaching experience. They were also becoming experienced in vocational guidance, and in conjunction with this work they were making all the necessary arrangements to fill the gaps in the knowledge or ability of the men so that they could qualify in some profession or trade.

"A considerable period will be needed for demobilisation at the end of the war," added Wing Commander Caradus, "and during that period education officers will be able to do much, but even at the present time something can be done, and every effort is being made to do it.

"The pre-entry training scheme was instrumental in securing for the Air Force many thousands of men whose original qualifications were insufficient for aircrew, radio or various trades. Between two and three thousand men, for example, who had never attended a secondary school had reached the aircrew standard

required for entry to the Initial Training Wing. And another five thousand, who had not had more than two years' post-primary work, also reached this same standard. "Most of these men would probably have been lost to air crew but for the original pre-entry training scheme." concluded Wing Commander "Thus the R.N.Z.A.F. Educational Services had been instrumental in providing many thousands of men suitable for air crew and for ground staff. In the same

way it is doing its utmost to ensure that all Air Force personnel when demobilised will leave the service with the best possible chance of success in civil life."