WORK FOR GIRLS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25089, 22 January 1947, Page 2

WORK FOR GIRLS

NEARLY 800 VACANCIES The Vocational Guidance Centre in “The Press” building has vacancies for 797 girls; and the officers, working at high pressure, are confident of placing many girls before the end of January. About 100 domestic vacancies are waiting to be filled—s 6 in private homes, 19 in institutions, and 25 in country houses—and in some cases where the mother has three or four young children or where she is expecting to enter a nursing home at , an early date the need is urgent. Other types of employment that re- ! quire many additional workers are i sewing trades, including millinery and tailoring- Here 200 girls could readily be absorbed, and about 124 office juniors are needed immediately. The centre has been asked to supply 22 girls for nursing, 59 for printing and bookbinding, and nearly as many shop assistants. Office seniors and governesses are not in such keen demand — only 24 vacancies for seniors in offices and five for governesses being notified. Many requests for middle-aged women have been received.

Since the office reopened on January 6 no fewer than 250 girls and their parents and employers have been interviewed at the Vocational Guidance Centre. Many of the employers came from country districts. Several seniors and intermediate workers were placed in office work, amongst them being several young married women, who are living with their parents or in flats. An unusually large number of students have been directed to holiday jobs, and a few girls are seeking work in the evenings so that they may supplement their wages for some special reason. “Hardly any of those on the waiting list want straightforward jobs that are easy to fill,” said an officer of the centre yesterday. “They want commercial art, library work or work in pharmacies—or some such jobs that are difficult to find.”

The problem of board for girls, always a serious matter is acute at this time of the year, and appeals are being received, not only from girls seeking positions, but from university and training college students, and from the parents of secondary school pupils.