FEW N.Z. YOUTHS GO TO SEA

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28936, 2 July 1959, Page 17

FEW N.Z. YOUTHS GO TO SEA

Lack Of Certified Officers Although most New Zealanders live near the sea, few of the country’s youths choose a seafaring career. Although a sea career offers good wages and a variety of designations, many seamen and officers on coastal ships receive their early training in the United Kingdom and come to New Zealand under contract. Statistics show that in 1858, 246 youths attended Marine Department schools of navigation in Auckland and Wellington. Among them were apprentices who attended the schools between voyages. Students who conscientiously follow the courses may Eventually attain the heights of senior foreign-going certificates. Candidates for marine engineer’s certificates numbered about the same in 1958 as in 1957, although there were fewer first and second class certificate applicants. Applicants for third class certificates however, showed an increase, which meant a few more youths were interested in taking up a sea-going engineer’s career. The shortage at sea-going engineers with certificates and experience is universal, and is partly due to the absorption of qualified engineers into secondary industry ashore. To overcome the problem, the New Zealand Shipping Company has introduced an entirely new scheme; to train their own engineer officers in the hope they will remain with the company after they complete their training period, of four years and a half. Special Training Boys of school certificate standard are. indentured as apprentices and go to sea for two years on the M.V. Otaio. The vessel is especially equipped to take and train 30 navigation and 20 engineer cadets. This, period is foltowed by 18 months’ training, still as appi entice#, in the company's and 12 months in a shipyard completes the course. A Swedish company atoo operates a simitor scheme. *' '■< An increase in foreign-going mates’ certificates in New Zealand is partly due to the Union Steamship Company’s apprentice training scheme. Youths ot school certificate standard are indentured as apprentices for four years on coastal ships. During that time they study under the guidance of .officers and finally sit for their “tickets” at Marine Department schools. Successful candidates are then appointed as junior officers.