Expansion Of Business Gives High Demand For Office Girls

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27874, 24 January 1956, Page 2

Expansion Of Business Gives High Demand For Office Girls

While many mothers are busy making tunics for girls who will begin at secondary school this year, many Canterbury girls who left school last year are having their first experiences as wage-earners. Miss Christobel Robinson, senior women’s vocational guidance officer, whose files hold a large number of neatly-filled forms giving information of firms and companies who need woman workers, says no girl with any secondary school qualifications need be out of a job. In 1955, between 300 and 400 girls must have left schools where they had taken commercial courses. Many have gone to work as clerical assistants and others are at commercial colleges preparing to start work shortly. Many who left school before completing their courses have been absorbed in industry, but there is still a demand for junior office girls, with or without a knowledge of typing and shorthand, girls who have completed their typing or stenography courses, and intermediate grade girls—those who have had two or three years in office routine. There are even some vacancies for seniors, carrying good salaries.

Altogether, Robinson estimates that she has about 100 jobs available for girls with the qualifications. Many women, who have no particular qualifications, seek part-time work, but they would not be suitable for the office jobs available. Advancement Possible The firms seeking workers are wellestablished and can offer advancement to girls who are interested in studying to better themselves. Many of the girls could be trained along the lines required in their own offices and as their knowledge of their duties increased they could increase their wage-earning capacity. The duties of office juniors are mainly general clerical work, filing records, mailing, perhaps going to the bank, and often—most important—the ability to make a palatable cup of morning and afternoon tea. Most employers prefer girls with three years’ secondary school training, or at least a minimum of two years’ secondary schooling. Many of the jobs for junior

office girls do not entail typing or shorthand. The girls would receive £4 a week or perhaps more. In the Public Service, a girl with three years’ secondary education begins at a salary of £255, one with School Certificate would start at £295. and one with University Entrance, at £340 a year. In a bank, the commencing salaries for girls are: three years of secondary schooling, £272 a year; School Certificate. £306; and University Entrance, £368.

Many firms advertise and those that do not get suitable replies telephone Miss Robinson. Some ring day after day, and many pay personal visits to her office when they are in urgent need of help, said Miss Robinson. Girls’ Preferences Girls, however inexperienced they are in office work, have their preferences. Not many juniors like to go to accountancy firms. They seem a little frightened of figures. Very few of those who seek work in occupations other than office work think of tailoring or the fur trade. “We have to suggest it to them,” said Miss Robinson.

Some girls are attracted to factory work by glowing accounts of the big wages made, but they do not realise it is the bonus system, an incentive to work, that brings the wages to a higher level. Their wage to start is usually less than £3 a week, and they have to work hard to earn the bonus that will increase their pay. Although the biggest demand is for office juniors, typists and stenographers, Miss Robinson has many inquiries for girls for cake kitchens, leatherwork and knitwear factories, millinery and packing, which includes the packing of household commodities or women’s wear. There are also many inquiries for help in shops. She would not say the demand for girl office workers was greater this year than last year, said Miss Robinson. There had been a big demand for girl office workers for many years, since business improved after the war years. She thought the demand was the result of business expansion in the city. Many girls had been sent out to jobs just before Christmas, but still the demand was great.