Claims ‘Stigma’ Attached To Word ‘Apprentice’

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30739, 1 May 1965, Page 14

Claims ‘Stigma’ Attached To Word ‘Apprentice’

(N.Z. Prest Association)

WELLINGTON, April 30. There was some stigma attached to the word “apprentice,” resulting from the fact that, for many years, apprentices were confined to hand trades and crafts of a dirty nature, the commission of inquiry into vocational training was told today by the president of the Radio and Television Manufacturers’ Federation (Mr B. D. Garden).

“We believe a campaign should be waged to convince the public generally, and secondary-school teachers in particular, that apprenticeships are well suited for high-calibre pupils,” he said.

“Trademen have an important social position and play an important part in the industrial ptogr**» of the country.” Mr Garden said the radio and television manufacturing industry was concerned at the several influences that tended to direct the brighter secon-dary-school pupils towards

professional and semi-profes-sional “collar and tie” occupations.

This aspect should be carefully assessed by the commission.

The division of pupils entering secondary schools into academic and general courses tended to impart to the pupil the idea that those in academic classes should not consider a career in industry, he said.