ENGINEERING IN INDUSTRY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29510, 11 May 1961, Page 21

ENGINEERING IN INDUSTRY

NeedJor Trained Technicians Seen

“Engineering is She key. stone of farming and manu. factoring.” said Mr T. R. Pollard. director of the industrial develonment department at the University of Canterbury, when addressin? 27 careers advisers from all parts of New Zealand on opportunities in engineering in industry. Mr Pollard said the industrial development depart, ment was concerned with research. “We have a great deal of freedom, being a university department, and it is this freedom that has contributed greatly to our success with industry." he said. “Neither the farmer nor the manufacturer can exist without the engineer now The days of the horse plough are gone and there are therefore a larger number of opportunities,'' he sa'd. “The engineer has changed over the last 30 to 40 years There used to be two types: the professional, usually with a degree, who dealt only with theory, and the tradesman. or fitter. There used to be a large gan which has now been filled by the trained technician. "The day of the fitter is going, with the complex machines we have now, and it is the technicians who have almost as much training as the professionals, who are needed by industry.” said Mr Pollard.

Mr Pollard said his staff helped manufacturers whose machines had broken down or developed new equipment for a specific purpose. One such piece of equip, ment being built at present would be used to measure the thickness of fat on a pig’s back he said.