LEARNING ON THE JOB

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28481, 10 January 1958, Page 14

LEARNING ON THE JOB

Apprenticeship Opportunities

TF a boy has a positive liking A for one trade to the exclusion of all others, he should not* be influenced by the present economic position of the industry. This is the advice of the District Commissioner of Apprenticeship in Christchurch, Mr V. E 7 Thomas, to boys thinking of becoming apprentices. “There may be a shortage-of vacancies in the trade of your choice, but you should keep seeking until you find an opening. Industries do right themselves.

“I speak of genuine trades. The building industry and the printing trade, the engineering and motor industry and allied trades, and many others which, because they are going to become more technical and mechanised, demanding greater technical skill, are ones I believe are worth while for any boy to undertake. “There are some trades where it seems that there are insufficient skills involved for training over a period of five years—that is the tei m of apprenticeship ,in most trades. These trades will not be as satisfying as those where the technical efforts are changing year by year. And it seems certain that rate of change is going to increase. "The emphasis is going on to the mechanical side of things. No fhdustry will remain the same as you see it at present Industry will need persons of high technical skill beyond the qualifications of the ordinary tradesman. Already schools of technology are being set up started in New Zealand.

“All boys have the benefit of the recent revisions of wage scales for apprentices by the Court of Arbitration,” says Mr Thomas. The starting wage is now 32 per cent, of the journeyman’s wages. This has increased the starting wage to close on £4 a week. There are 5 per cent, increases every six months. “Some boys may. not get an immediate start. This happens because , employers may not have a sufficient proportion of journeymen to apprentices. But apprentice contracts are being completed all the time and week by week further openings are thereby created.”