VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 186, 9 May 1928, Page 10

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

EMPLOYERS AND APPREN-

TICES

EDUCATION MINISTER’S VIEW

“A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM”

Several matters of imjmrtance, including what he described as the very serious problem of vocational guidance and training of boys, were dealt with by the Minister of Education (Hon. R. A. Wright) in an address yesterday at the annual conference of the New Zealand Technical School Teachers’ Association.

The Minister said the Department had asked for the discussion of certain subjects and he hoped that discussion of vocational guidance by teachers whose profession was vocational training might help the Department to assist parents in choosing occupations for their children; whether, for example, the issue of a pamphlet on vocational guidance for children leaving primary schools, as was done last year, should be continued, .and, if so, what amendments would render it more useful. “I feel satisfied,” said the Minister, “that this is a very important question, and I trust that helpful suggestions will be made. One difliculty in connection with our young people is that very often a boy goes through a technical college course and then cannot get a job. This is a most serious business.” He had in mind the case of a boy who had spent two years in a technical school learning the rudiments of the building trade, and- who now found that no employer would give him a job. Employers Must Help. “It seems to me,” said the Minister, “that the employers will have to help in this matter. I say quite frankly that throughout the Wellington provincial district employers have not got nearly the number of apprentices permitted by Arbitration Court awards. “In my young days the boot was on the other foot, and employers had too many boys. Now the position has completely changed, and they are not employing their full complement of apprentices. They should do so. This question is a very urgent one. The apprentice of to-day is the future journeyman. I know it may be said that under existing conditions it is much more satisfactory to deal with journeymen, but a very serious situation will arise if sufficient apprentices are not taken on by employers. The Minister also said it had been suggested that the State should teach the boys trades from the beginning and turn them out as tradesmen. That would be a huge undertaking, requiring the provision of fully-equipped buildings and factories and very large staffs. He thought that boys who were taught something more than the rudiments of a trade should be very useful to employers.

The Agricultural Course.

As to the agricultural course in city technical schools, the Minister said that in many cases the courses were not sufficiently attended. The students were, chiefly country lads, awl the classes did not attract enough city boys. There might be economic reasons for this, and he hoped a discussion bv the conference might throw some light on a serious problem. In regard to provision for local technological examinations, the Minister said there was no reason why local Departmental examinations in technology should not be held. Examiners should have expert knowledge of the teaching of the subject, and the examinations should be closely related to current trade practice.

“Try-out” Courses Suggested.

Referring to the place of purely vocational subjects, such as typewriting, motor mechanics, etc., in courses for holders of junior free places in technical high schools, the Minister suggested that the solution might lie in the provision of short intensive courses in trade subjects, which might also be utilised as “try-out” courses to enable the children better to explore their own possibilities. In thanking the Minister for his remarks, the president (Mr. A. McFadyen) said employers needed a great deal of education as to the scope of technical education. The weak link was the insufficient connection between the technical schools and industry. Technical Education Policy. The following remits were adopted bv the conference:— . That it is desirable in the absence of any clear pronouncement on the future policy to be adopted in regard to technical education, that this conference (i) Press for a definition of the work of technical schools; (ii) Invite the fullest inquiry into their present activities and comparative cost; and (in) Stress the urgent need for the further development of the technical schools system: — (Dunedin Executive.) That regulations be amended to permit students at full-time day technical schools to receive lower and higher leaving certificates. — (Dunedin Executive.) That it be a recommendation to the University Entrance Board to include economics and civics among the subjects for the matriculation examination. — (Wellington.) Having regard to the stage of development reached in evening schools, it is desirable that such schools co-operate with the Education Department in such ways as the following: —(a) By specifying similar courses and setting ■ examinations of similar standard in trades courses. (b) By so altering the Senior Free Place examination that it may become the preliminary examination for trades students desirous of qualifying in more advanced technological courses, (c) By agreeing to issue diplomas of similar standard. —(Dunedin.)