THE BUSINESS MAN'S COLUMN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2579, 29 September 1915, Page 23

THE BUSINESS MAN'S COLUMN

THE DAY OF THE SKILLED WORKER (By George Warrington.) [A question of considerable im- : portance to-day is tho future of the boy in an unfamiliar business world. Tho whole problem is subjected to a timely examination in this article.] Tho business man of to-day, ivlio lias to consider the future of a rising family, is naturally more preoccupied with his problem than ever. Under modern conditions, he knows he cannot afford to endow, all his young people for life out of his own earnings. . Usually, parental help ends when the --youngster enters upon his life work, unless it takrts tho' unhealthy form of bolstering up tho inefficient with financial assistance. • Most -men- can _ see their -youngsters into suitable openings under-favourable auspices, hut 111 business that is as far as friendship can go. Given a start, tho youthful worker has to make good on his own merits. Few businesses to-day can afford ,to carry youthful "passengers" because their fathers,-who secured them appointments, were respected by principals, heads of departments, or people with influence in the same commercial circles. Tho problem—what to do with our boys—is always a difficult one, and the future 6eems likely to add to the difficulties. At present the eighteen-year-old hoy need not look far for a career. Tho country at present can find employment for its youth and glory to 'lx-ofc. 'Hie Army and' Navy, and the public services, want men as they wero never wanted before in employment circles. But another generation of young men is always trending.on -tlie heels,-of,: those who have entered, upon their careers. And. the father of to-day ask-' ing himself tho ever-pressing question, I what to do with his boys, must still I think of tho' business world as it will I bo after tho war is over.

The problem of the boy in business is rendered very much more difficult by 0110 very- obvious fact.'' No gift of prevision can say just what any section of- the world of business will. l)o like five years from now —or in the years immediatelyafter the war. One can . guess,'and those who have boys preparing to start out must attempt to foresee the future. It may safely be assumed. that the' public services will represent a "safe" future for the specially prepared .classes boys who are educated, with' tlio demands of the various branches'of tho Civil Scrvico determining their preparation. The Army aud 'Navy will probably offer greater attractions than ever to those who feed tho/ 'comniissiojied; ranks.'.., TFo may even, hope" to soo tlio two services democratised .as -a conso-. queiiee of tlio present lVflr,''and-cortainly the :call- will~.be for':nlors nieiK, ■ ;Alsot'hero will bo a bigger demand- for skilled professional work in tlio two services.. :In the lower'grades'.there' will be a wide field for liien with technical 'knowledge.- Tho wastage,of skilled men at the present moment is 'enormous, and we may take it as certain ;that. the defensive forces will never shrink back to their pre-war dimensions. In: civil life, too, conditions in.-tho. professionsivill be easier for some;■years.'... : There, ought also to 'be. a demand in'excess of. the supply for all highly-trained,work-l ers—chemists, engineers, with .special-, ised knowledge, and all skilled workers down to the artisan ratings.. However war may threaten trade, t'he' demand for the constructive worker is likely to be assured—whether lie be a highlytrained. professional man or a worker with a technical equipment Indeed, i the career of the futurelies with tho I man who can do something definite. That seems to me to be the sure, plat- [ form ■ on whioh the anxious father of ! to-day can build. The war may, aud

probably will, narrow tho demand tor the unskilled worker, in the years immediately following the signing of the |)eaco terms. A triumph for fchis_ country. might turn Great Britain into a hive of industry. No one can tell yet what tho conditions after tho war will be. lint tho unskilled woii'cr has to facs tho invasion of women, who are "now entering freely into every f' 6 '"- Since war broke out, women liavo found i,t way into many activities hitherto considered the preserves of men. women bank and railway clerks are very significant results of tho war. In tho great stores and shops fcnialo workers have.-increased in numbers more rapidly than male assistants. The cateringtrade has altered in its altitude to the woman worker, and the new attitude is significant and sheds a light on tho changes quietly going on in other trades. The woman in tho office and the shop will bo a factor of tho future as significant as she is in the factory. In addition, there will be the competition which must ariso when the millions of men cal&l up for defcncc of the country, return to civilian pursuits.

At all costs, the father concerned about the, welfare of tho son should prepare him to "bo something.' ■' u commercial circles ho ivill avoid taking his chance with u mors or less satisfactory general education. profossions set up tlieir own barriers, and the aspirant must have 6po2i:il preparation to surmount iliern. Most of the public services -insist on some competitive system of entry which acts as a selective process, aril, in a measure, thoso lvho are admitted may be called specially equipped. To-day, \ast numbers of-boys go into oftces, Dunks, and storpSj trusting vaguely-to luck. Their education may be good, but entirely general. They liav'e been prepared tor no definite task. This method of commencing life, may he satisfactory to.tho youngster with a heap of puslv and'considerable powers of observation, hut it is • certainly not | the best jumping-off ground for tho average boy. In "the commercial j world, even the clever boy is all the | better for general knowledge plus a specialised training, while with such. a combination the average boy is safer. A boy who knows tho languages neces- [ sary, for a commercial career, who has studied organisation -and system, or who has trained '.himself definitely to act as a business correspondent, possesses a definite equipment and is entitled to a position on which lie can build for advancement. A boy who intends going into 'the retail trades can also pursue a-definite training in selling methods, side by side with his general education,-aiid-.will ho all tho better for his knowledge when he gets his first opening,' All .this was true enough a year ago wheiivtho world was at peace. It .frill.apply;, with increasing forcoin tho years .fallowing tho war. A beginner cannot go.- into any ot tho professions or servicos "without preparation to-day, and if lie-is wiso the boy of tho. fiituro will' not attempt to go into ilk;'open- fields-without special training. ■ The attraction : of tho services governed by. an critrj ;: test as a career is that they'-are safe. 'Die main attraction of tho' open fields of employment is that they usually afford a wider opportunity for, the man with initiative. In tho open fields tho ambitious young man finds- irioro possibilities of adventure. -His : <laiiger:is-tfiat ho may be snared by and .tied''toV iV routiue task, demanding speoiiil'skill>-and giving little or no opportunity of acquiring useful osporiencft. ' Tlie safeguard against this deadlock is specialised knowledge in 0110 form or another—and that can only be assured, first, hy tho intelligent direction of the boy's studies, either by his parent or the specialist entrusted with the duty, and, secondly, by tho enthusiasm of the student himself, impelling the youth to supplement his general education by a survey of all tlio specialised forms of knowledge which bear upon, liis chosen career.—"Daily News." ... , , ,