Training scheme welcomed

Press, 29 June 1983, Page 4

Training scheme welcomed

“It’s better than staying at home,” was one comment from school-leavers on their second day of a new Government job training scheme. The general reaction of the first 24 trainees, aged 15 and 16, was that the S.T.E.P.S. programme (School-leaver Training and Employment Preparation Scheme) was more positive. Most of them had applied unsuccessfully for five, and

in one case 12 jobs, before starting the course at the Christchurch Polytechnic. They will spend up to 12 weeks in training divided between “life skills” and clerical or engineering education. They will spend some of the time in the work force. “We have learnt not to be ashamed of being on the dole,” another trainee said. They have been given responsibility for their small cafeteria and drawn up per-

sonal contracts for themselves and their tutors to keep during the course. Money was some incentive for starting the course. The 15-year-olds get $l5 a week and 16-year-olds get $63, slightly more than they would on unemployment benefits. The two course tutors, Miss Patsy Gibson and Ms Stephanie Wilson, said yes-

terday they had already noticed changes in the trainees. No-one said anything on Monday but they were now beginning to talk. Miss Gibson said being unemployed was a hard mental habit to break. The course is intended to help school-leavers feel more positive about themselves and their ability to meet the expectations of employers.