Tours initiated by young woman

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33498, 1 April 1974, Page 12

Tours initiated by young woman

One woman’s initiative led to what is non an international annual overseas studv scheme for promising young executives.

Miss P. Tuff, the director of the public affairs department of the Royal Commonwealth Society, thought ; nine years ago that opportunity should be given executives in their late 20s to consolidate their knowledge of business practice with new insights gained abroad. This would encourage initiative in employees, and be of benefit to firms. At this age the executives were still open-minded, and had plenty of drive, Miss Tuff said in Christchurch yesterday. But they were tied down with young families, and needed assistance to go abroad. IDEA ACTED ON At the age of 23, Miss Tuff approached the Royal Commonwealth Society council in London, and it. asked the society in Canada to organise an itinerary for a group of candidates from London. Canada accepted, and since then similar approaches have been made to all Commonwealth countries. Businesses are given the

opportunity of sponsoring a promising employee on a month’s tour of activities relevant to his work. Diversity within the groups (sometimes more than 12 different nationalities take part, often of the same occupation) allows members of study teams to learn from each other. N.Z. VISIT This year, the team of 20 professional, and business men and bankers includes a Rhodesian African, two Indians, a Malaysian, and a Singaporean. They have visited Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney, and will spend 10 days in New Zealand, most of them in the North Island. In Christchurch, they will visit the D.S.I.R. Crop Re■search Division, the Wool Research Institute at Lincoln College, the Sheltered Workshops, Queen Elizabeth II . Park, the Town Hall, the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, and the Canterbury Museum, and will attend education seminars.