Apprenticeship

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30389, 13 March 1964, Page 9

Apprenticeship

The increasing knowledge and skill which the modern electrical world demands from its tradesman is being reflected in an increase in technical training for apprentices. As from this year, electrical trade apprentices must attend block courses at the Christchurch Technical College for three weeks once a year for three years in addition to two two-hourly evening lessons at the college each week. The block courses are conducted in'the apprentice’s employer’s time and the time he attends at evening school is deducted from his apprenticeship contract. A boy with school certificate serves 9500 hours (four years and a half) while a boy without serves 10,000 hours (five years).

Where apprentices 30 years ago received only a few shillings a week for their first few months in the trade, lads out of school today receive £5 7s. Ten years ago, the starting pay for apprentices in the electrical trade was £2 12s. Apprentices now receive increases of 7s every six months until he receives £l2 18s 6d in the last six months of his time. The qualifying examination comprises a four-hour practical paper, a three-hour theory paper, and a three-hour paper on regulations.