UNIVERSITY TRAINING

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21315, 7 November 1934, Page 9

UNIVERSITY TRAINING

VALUE OF SCHOOL QI r j ENGINEERING | APPRECIATION BY MR F. T. M. KISSEL "Has the need for university trained engineers passed?" asked Mr F. T. M. Kissel, speaking at the presentation of a portrait of the late Professor R. J. Scott to the Canterbury College Council yesterday. He maintained that they were now needed more than ever, and that engineers such as were trained at Canterbury College were of the type to lead the profession in New Zealand. "The present depression is a passing phase," he continued, "and not a real indication that there is no scope for the numbers of engineers being trained at the school. Actually, the depression reveals a greater need for the highly-skilled engineer. At a time when conditions demand that all work done shall be economically and eonstructionally sound, engineers must bewell trained in fundamentals. The stress of changing conditions demands such men, and the colleges are turning them out to-day." Mi- Kissel, who said that he believed he was the first graduate of Canterbury College to join the Public Works Department, showed how the value of men trained at the college was being recognised. There were 12(3 engineers in the department, Go of whom were former students of Canterbury College. Twenty had the degree of bachelor of engineering, six had completed the associate course, and the others had attended courses of one, two, and three years. In addition to the pei-manent staff, there was a considerable temporary staff, among which there were 46 graduates of the school. All parts of the world had been circularised to obtain subscriptions for the memorial, and replies had been received from countries where ohp | would 'never have expected to find Canterbury College students. said Mr Kissel. Engineers from the school had proved their worth throughout the world.