A CAREER IN THE RAILWAYS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29067, 2 December 1959, Page 25

A CAREER IN THE RAILWAYS

As the largest business organisation in New Zealand, the Railways Department offers outstanding opportunities for career openings in about 250 different occupations, trades, and professions. The railways are a service in which there is a fixed retiring age, so that although staff totals more than 25,000, vacancies are always occurring. Vacancies mean opportunities for steady and continuous advancement.

The clerical division provides avenues through which some of the highest positions in the Railways may be reached. The prospective clerical cadet must have had at least two years’ secondary education. But it will be of advantage if he has obtained School Certificate or University Entrance, as these are pre-requisites to higher professional qualifications which will be of special advantage if he aims at rising to a high position in the department. Cadets must be between 15 and 19 years of age, although a candidate with higher educational qualifications is accepted up to the age of 20.

Commencing salary is based on educational qualifications. The rates are £405 with School Certificate, £460 with University Entrance, and £460 with Higher School Certificate (with an advance to £520 after six months). Boarding allowances are paid to cadets who live away from home. Clerical cadets may be appointed to any of the following branches—traffic, stores, mechanical, way and works, road

s-rvices, refreshment and ptrolicity and advertising. Promotion to higher-graded positions in the clerical division is available by passing departmental examinations and efficient performance of one’s duties. A draughting cadetship is the threshold to a career as a draughtsman or engineer’s assistant in the way and works branch.

The minimum educational qualification is School Certificate, gained preferably in such subjects as mathematics, drawing and design, electricity and magnetism, general science, applied mechanics, and technical drawing. On completion of a five-year cadetship, promotion to draughsman follows. The steps from draughtsman to engineer’s assistant and from engineer’s assistant to senior engineer’s assistant are dependent upon ability to pass the Education Department’s new examinations for technical staff—the Technical Certificates in Engineering and the Certificate in Engineering, tuition for which is available at night classes at the main technical colleges, or through the Education Department’s correspondence school.

With these, exami nations accomplished—and it is possible to complete them in one’s early twenties —and with the right personal attributes, the way is clear to reach a salary of up to £1465 a year. Commencing salaries for draughting cadets are similar to those of clerical cadets. Boys starting as junior porters on the Railways may progress to porters, traffic assistants, shunters, signalmen, guards, foremen, inspectors, and yardmasters. The Form I certificate is the minimum educational qualification, but preference is given to candidates with higher standards. Commencing rates of pay are based on age, and range from 3s Id an hour if a boy is 15 to 5s 4jd if he starts at the age of 20. At 21, his minimum wage for a 40-hour, five-day week is 6s 3Jd. The first step in becoming a driver of locomotives is that of locomotive trainee. A trainee must be between 17 and 26 years of age, although preference is given to those under 20. The minimum

educational standard is the primary School Certificate. Good health, perfect eyesight, and colour perception are essential requirements. Commencing rates of pay are based on age, and range from a minimum of 4s 2d at 17 years of age to 6s 6jd at 21. Extra pay is earned for overtime, and Sunday and holiday work. On completing his trainee service and qualifying by examination, a lad becomes a locomotive assistant, learning to service and fire an engine. After a term of service and when he has gained a satisfactory knowledge of engines and railway Signals and rules, he can pass another qualifying examination for work as an engine driver. The engine driver is in charge of the locomotive, the assistant working under his direction. With added experience, and on passing the first-grade examination, he is entrusted with the running of trains, and later, of fast passenger and express trains. Engine drivers who undergo special courses of instruction and examination are selected to drive modern electric and dieselelectric locomotives and diesel railcars.

Apprenticeships are available in the Railways in the following trades blacksmithing, boilermaking, carpentry, coppersmithing, electrical work, fitting, motor mechanics, moulding, painting, panelbeating, plumbing, sheet metal working, trimming, and turning. The normal term of apprenticeship is five years. On entry, apprentices must be between 15 and 17 years of age and have had two years’ secondary education.

Weekly wages of apprentices range from 3s Id an hour on the sixth (commencing) grade to 5s 2Jd an hour at the top grade. Boys with School Certificate or University Entrance, however, begin at 3» 4Jd an hour, with a proportional margin at each grade. Boarding allowances are provided for boys living away from their homes. Apprentices are appointed to the principal trades at Otahuhu, Hutt, Addington, Hillside, and East Town railway workshops in January and July each year. A small number are also engaged each January, under certain con-

ditions, at the Napier, Greymouth, Westport, and Invercargill . workshops, where they serve three years before undergoing the fourth and fifth year of training at a main centre. The training of railway apprentices provides a sound basic technical education and enables them to attain a high standard of craftsmanship. The practical training is organised and under close supervision. Apprentices also attend departmental classes during ordinary working hours, when they receive such basic training in trade technology as will fit them to become efficient tradesmen. Diploma allowances are awarded to apprentices who attain high standards in workmanship and studies, while scholarships are open to young tradesmen and senior apprentices who have high all-round qualifications in learning, tradesmanship, and character, and they are encouraged to qualify for professional engineering examinations. Boys joining the railways as junior labourers are required to have the Form I education certificate, and bo between 15 and 20 years of age. In the way and works branch (permanent way) junior labourers pi-ogiess to labourers, surfacemen, gangers, and inspectors. In the way and works branch works staff, junior labourers progress to labourers, skilled Tabourets, bridgemen, works gangers, bridge carpenters, and leading bridge carpenters. In railway workshops, junior labourers may advance to such posts as skilled labourers, strikers, holders-up, lifter, train examiner, iron machinist, paintsprayer, crane-driver, fettler, gascutter, machine moulder, welder, etc.

Commencirig rates of pay are based on age, and range from a minimum of 3s Id an hour at 15 years of age to 5s 4Jd at 20. Extra pay is earned for overtime and for Sunday and holiday work. The Railways Department has a great variety of clerical and allied positions to offer girls and young womem They are assured of Constant employment, good pay, travelling concessions on the railways, and opportunity for advancement to responsible positions.