Innovation and changing skills

Press, 26 November 1981, Page 13

Innovation and changing skills

From what both the main political parties are saying, and from what common sense suggests, it is evident that agriculture, along with associated secondary industries, and tourism will have to be the basic growth areas in New Zealand’s economy.

with a 10.3 per cent increase since the previous February (Labour and Employment Gazette, September, 1981). By far the greatest number of registered unemployed (about 14.000 at mid-year) are seeking unskilled work. Nearly 5000 were seeking service work, including domestic, and nearly 4000 were hoping to become salespeople. A similar number were wanting to become farmers and agricultural workers.

It is also evident that this will involve care, in maintaining what is unique in New Zealand, while providing suitable access to it, and more intensive agriculture in areas already in production.

It is reasonable to assume that -while these inherent strengths are being • built upon, there will be growth in the servicing industries linked to them, such as research and finance.

Skills are necessary these days for almost all people hoping to join the workforce, and whatever one’s talents and interests, it is wise to develop more skills than are required for any particular job.

This appears to be happening already. In the government employment survey of February, most service industries showed employment increases, with financial services and real estate and business services being particularly buoyant “once again.” In the private sector, the biggest increase — more than 11 per cent — showed in the research and scientific institutes, and education services were not far behind,

People with typing skill have been able to adapt relatively easily to using computer ternlinals — and there is likely to be an everincreasing number of uses found for computer technology.

Clearly, participation in the productive and service activities of the 1980 s and beyond will involve an increasing requirement for knowledge, skills and flexibility.

In any job it is important to have learned to think, speak and write clearly, and to understand accurately things heard or read. Many apprenticeships, especially the more technical ones, require a pass in school certificate English, and would-be trainees for a great many occupations are at a disadvantage, even disqualified, if they lack a pass in school certificate mathematics. Competency in mathematics is desirable, or essential, in such fields as draughting, engineering, electronics, agriculture and many healthrelated careers. It is also helpful for clerical and management cadetships, in sales work, insurance and motor mechanics. Science is important for almost as many jobs as maths. Health, engineering, architecture and agriculture are just some of the areas in which it is used. Biology on its own limits possibilities, as physics and-or chemistry are usually also needed. Physics is especially important for engineering, electrical and electronic jobs, while chemistry is required by people in the food industry and the health field.