EMERGENCY TRAINING

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23349, 7 June 1941, Page 12

EMERGENCY TRAINING

RETURNED MEN IN INDUSTRY SUCCESS QF SCHEME IN WELLINGTON Commenting on the statement which appeared in ‘‘The Press” yesterday to the effect that 100 returned men are seeking jobs in Christchurch, Mr A. W. Nisbet, organiser of emergency training, stated that a similar position did hot exist in Wellington, where fhe placing of returned men in industry was receiving what could be described as concentrated attention. Mr Nisbet considered that employers did not fully realise the extent to which the Emergency Training Scheme, which he is directing, dovetails into the question of repatriation. Illustrating his point, Mr Nisbet said that the Metal Trade Training Centre in Christchurch, which was being run under the supervision of the Technical College authorities, had on its books at the present time a number of men who had completed their full four months’ course of intensive training. Immediately these men are absorbed into industry their places in the trade school will -be taken by men who have returned from the present war, provided of course that they are suited for this particular class of training. By giving immediate employment to the- auxiliary workers trained under the Government’s Emergency Training Scheme, employers could. help themselves and the Dominion to keep the wheels of industry turning. .At the same time, vacancies would be created at the trade school, which could be filled by some of the 100 returned men who, it was said, were now seeking employment in Christchurch. The first batch of trainees from the Wellington Training Centre—43 machinists and 15 welders —had all been placed in jobs. So satisfied were employers with the degree of skill attained by these men that in a number of cases they had voluntarily granted them an increase in pay after a few weeks’ employment, and in one case after , a few days’ employment. Employers need have no doubt about the ability of the men to earn thc-ir wages, said Mr Nisbet. No engineering firm in Christchurch should be turning work away while any of these auxiliary workers were un-absorbed Questioned as to the possible extension of the scheme to other industries, Mr Nisbet said that already a most satisfactory class for the training of clickers in the boot industry was being conducted by the Christchurch Technical College for the Dominion Auxiliary Workers’ training Council. He had visited this class for the first time yesterday, and was agreeably surprised at the progress made by the trainees during the, few weeks they had been there. A further extension of the ischeme to the training of men in other essential industries was at present under consideration by the Government. Employers desirous of obtaining the services-of auxiliary workers wno have completed training should apply in the first instance at fhe local placement office, but the placing id these auxiliary workers for the duration of the war is controlled by the local training council.