Unemployed to study job skills at institute

Press, 15 March 1978, Page 5

Unemployed to study job skills at institute

U„ emp ,oyed People will ChHct S h tarl u Courses at the ' Cnnstchureh Tecdn <cal Insti-j Ikm. *5 child care - office ' The Employment Advisory! committee of the Labour De-! partment studied the employ-' ment market in these fields* and approved the courses.) rinai approval came last* evening from the technical! institute council. However, some council! members asked whether the' courses in office skills and* genera) labouring were* needed. Mr M. J. Graham said ' mat he was not sure that the: council could find jobs fori people attending the courses,: as was its obligation in the' circumstances. The chainnan (Mr D. F. Uaygill) said that “obligation overstated the council’s position. “It is not for us to find jobs,” he said.

11 The Labour Department i'had given an assurance that - there were jobs in these > i areas. i “We cannot take the reI sponsibility of saying that if you take this course there I will be a job waiting for I you,” said Lady Macfarlane. “That is beyond us. These are trying times.” Fifteen students ha.e already been accepted for the child-care course due to start ion May 5. The institute’s director (Mr J D. A. Hercus) said that ! first preference had been I given to persons on the unI employed register. The 1 Labour Department had had enough on the register to fill 'the 15 places without advertising for applications. Details have yet to be completed for the remaining three courses but they are expected to last four weeks.