Unemployment here to stay — professor

Press, 16 April 1980, Page 4

Unemployment here to stay — professor

PA Hamilton Society is stunningly complacent about permanent unemployment, according to Professor Michael Stephens, an adulteducation specialist from Nottingham University who is visiting New Zealand under the auspices of the University Grant Com-, mittee.

Social, cultural, and educational attitudes had to change radically as society moved towards the reality of people being permanently jobless, he said.

The British Government was ignoring the problem. Governments tended to build on previous experience but this time it was different.

“They are not allowing for new developments and technologies and the social implications of permanent unemployment are worse than the first stages of the industrial revolution,” said Professor Stephens. “Progress is moving too fast for the existing educa-

tional systems. These will have to change, shifting emphasis from early education to adult education. In our medical schools, for example, material taught to first-year students is outdated when they graduate five years later. “Microchips will replace all clerical jobs so people must be retrained to use their leisure to change their jobs. There’s no way of stopping technology. We must just learn to live with it. “A counselling network is needed to find creative outlets for individuals. Society must be flexible to the needs of the individual.”

Professor Stephens said the British Government had come up with some “tarted up” proposals but these were disguising the problem with stopgap measures. “You get such ideas as raising the school leaving age, national service, and shorter working weeks. But the fact remains that jobs have disappeared and there won’t be new ones

unless the stigma Is taken ' of traditionally low-status jobs.’

Professor Stephens said predictions were now being made that in 25 years in Britain 10 per cent of the present workforce would be all that was needed to produce the material needs for all, with the other 90 per cent as consumers. Adult education’s import ■ tance consequently emerged but its image needed • changing, j “It has the flower* j arranging image: the con« ]’ cept of bored and pros-1 perous housewives learn* i, ing ikebana,” said Profes- ! sor Stephens. “Continuing education is the central issue of permanent un< i employment.

“The Protestant work ’ ethic is no longer the cen* tral desirable factor. The work aspect must move into a slot of lesser importance. People should be encouraged to undertake activities to enrich themselves and their societies.’