Proud Of Apprentices

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30895, 30 October 1965, Page 23

Proud Of Apprentices

The business of Mr A. J. Nicholas is electrical engineering. His greatest pride is in his 600 apprentices and his greatest enthusiasm is travel by top executives as a means of stimulating business and improving international understanding.

Mr Nicholas is chairman of Aberdare Holdings Limited and founder of South Wales Switchgear, Ltd., which now employs 3000 persons in Britain and 1000 overseas. He arrived in New Zealand on Thursday evening for talks with municipal authorities to which his firms supply gear. He may also take apprentices from this country.

South Wales Switchgear, a subsidiary of Aberdare Holdings, is supplying £150.000 worth of integrally-earthed switchboard units to the Municipal Electricity Department in Christchurch. Tenders were originally called for a small order but the company offered to “freeze” the price for a five-year contract. New tenders were called and South Wales won it. It covers 300 units delivered at the rate of about 60 a year. They are going into “brickgarage type” sub-stations in new subdivisions and in big industrial plants. The M.E.D. knew little about this new type and South Wales paid for an engineer to go to the United Kingdom to study their manufacture and operation. COMMONWEALTH LINK Mr Nicholas believes that “capital plant engineering” is now almost as important as politics in keeping the Commonwealth together. “This is an investment in development and progress which affect; and binds our peoples,” he said. New Zealand has a 40-year interest for Mr Nicholas. “Do

you know the Mangahao scheme? Or Waikaremoana?" he asked. “I was concerned with plant for those as a young man when I worked for Metropolitan-Vickers. But I did not visit this country until 1950 and this is my third visit.” South Wales Switchgear includes 40 apprentices from many parts of the world. Mr Nicholas regards this as part of his contribution to the Commonwealth. He would like some New Zealanders. “BREAD ON WATERS” Sixty per cent of all apprentices he has trained are still with the inn. Mr Nicholas regards those who left as “bread on the waters.” He said: “They come back to us in goodwill from many places.”

Mr Nicholas finds constant challenge in the changing world situation. He secured an order in Peking early this year. He has a plant in Rhodesia, which he admires very much. He has another new one in Australia, where he jwas impressed by the industrial vigour. “We live internationally today and yo-i would be surprised just how much the troubles in Vietnam, India-Pakistan and Rhodesia worry other countries. “That is Why people meeting people is so important,” said Mr Nicholas. “I also think the training of technilogists to serve the world may save us all. It is on this group that so much of our future depends. It takes 10 years and we have to be patient about results."