GROWTH AND TRENDS OF APPRENTICESHIPS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29179, 13 April 1960, Page 13

GROWTH AND TRENDS OF APPRENTICESHIPS

The carpentry and joinery trade gained the greatest increase jn the number of apprenticeships errscged this year in Christchurch. Releasing figures up to March jl, the District Commissioner of Apprenticeship (Mr V. F, Thomas) said yesterday that a comparison of figures for the last four to five years indicated that it was this trade which had absorbed the biggest proportion o f increases in new contracts. With 202 boys taking up new apprenticeships in carpentry and joinery this year, 64 more than last year entered the trade. Over all trades in the Christchurch district, which includes Timaru and Greymouth, 840 new contracts were arranged by the end of March, Mr Thomas said. This figure was an increase of 77 over last year. In the Christchurch area the Increase in new contracts was 85 over last year but in Timaru five fewer contracts than last year were arranged and Greymouth hid three fewer new apprentices. Mr Thomas attributed the growth in apprenticeship contracts to the increased number of school leavers at the end of 1959, which proportionately affected availability of apprentices. Records for past years showed that approximately one-third of school leavers entered apprenticeships, he said. The motor mechanics and painting trades received the next highest increases in apprenticeships in Christchurch this year; 109 boys began motor-engineering —an increase of 26 on last year’s entries—and painting, with 30 new contracts, had an increase of 13 new apprentices compared with 1959. Balance Resumed "I do feel that there has been a balancing of numbers between the motor trade and the engineering trade this year,” Mr Thomas said. Last year the motor industry took fewer apprentices than it did the previous year and a number of boys who could not get apprenticeships in motor mechanics therefore went into general engineering in 1959 instead. “This year the intaTce In those two trades has reverted

hc O r re n p Or leSB to 016 norma l number of new contracts,” the commissioner said. tMk S S!n er T nU^ ber Of hrtfw P 1 ? ce in the boilermaking bricklaying, plumbing and were g Mm 10n H tr “ deB and 11161-6 were some decreases in some of the larger industries. The most ai°rcr!ft le h°ii theSe Were in 016 baking, electrical and mechanical engineering trades The aircraft industry took in 11 y rtJ n Christc burch, which was kit^ re x S t« Of 15 on the 1959 twr k » bakln 8 r eceived four this decr ease of six on last f n ea I^Pdd 3 ’’ el eetrical engineer- \ d 2 ? new apprentices—a of six compared with last year; and mechanical took 58 new apprentiThTl3. f ? wer than in 1959 ine total number of apprenticeTim a n,° ntl ? “ Christ church, 31 % n i‘L Grey ~ Outh at “arch 31 was 3140. The number of current apprenticeship contracts i n - x OI T e in tbe Christchurch district for certain trades is: carpentry and joinery 681; motor ““chanics 380; painting 86; aircraft industry 107; baking 16; electrical engineering 140; and mechanical engineering 220.