Industry’s Need Of Skill

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30769, 5 June 1965, Page 3

Industry’s Need Of Skill

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 4. Development of industry on a broad front would give rise to a greater demand for industrial skills and trained people in industry. It was a matter that required consideration quantatively as well as qualitatively, the. Commission of Inquiry into Vocational Training was told by the general secretary of the Manufacturers’ Federation (Mr A. R. Dellow) today.

It would be necessary in the coming decade to train more people for industrial occupations than in the preceding decade and, in view of the greater application of science to industry and increased complexity of industrial operation, there would be a need for higher technical training for the increasing numbers employed in manufacturing, he said. The federation believed that careers advisers in schools had an important role to play.

In areas where schools might not have sufficient work to require. the services of a full-time career adviser, it might be possible to appoint a regional officer who would cover several schools.

Referring to the problem arising from the divided administration of aspects of vocational training, Mr Dellow said the federation had no ready-made solution but felt it was a matter which should be included in the submissions.

“In the field of vocational training we have the DepartIment of Education and the

Department of Labour. Within the Department of Labour is the commissioner of apprenticeship and various apprenticeship committees, both national and local. “As adviser to the minister and Department of Education there is the Council for Technical Education. The Technicians’ Certification Authority and the Trades Certification Board are both responsible to the Minister of Education,” he said. It was not necessarily in the best interests of the trainees themselves or conducive to the most effective training, to have a division of responsibility and adminis-

tratiion at the apprenticeship stage, which was intermediate between secondary school education and the more advanced technician training. “It is likely that this divided responsibility, by divorcing apprenticeships from other levels of education, is a contributing cause to the tendency noted in some submissions for educational influences to be against entering a trade and in favour of white-collar jobs,” he said. The federation did not have a firm recommendation to make on the point but it was suggested for examination by the commission. “There could well be advantages in having all forms of vocational training brought within the scope of one organisation.” said Mr Dellow.