VOCATIONAL GUIDES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 2, 28 September 1937, Page 10

VOCATIONAL GUIDES

Development Of System In View

SUGGESTIONS FOR WORK IN WELLINGTON

Recent statements by the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, indicating that the development of vocational and educational guidance work was to be undertaken formed the subject of a report by the director, Mr. R. G. Ridling. at last night’s meeting of the Wellington Technical College Board of Governors.

“Work for this college has been done so efficiently during the past years that a very close association has been built up between industry and commerce and the college,” Mr. Ridling said. “Mr. A. A. Kirk has carried out a fine work for the college as well as for industry and has engendered confidence in the college product. In addition, his sympathetic treatment of students and parents has proved of very great value and his advice has always been in the interests of young people. “I anticipate that in the development envisaged by the Minister, vocational guidance for all young people will be taken over by those officers appointed to the work. I think it is in the interests of them all that association with educational institutions should be maintained. To this end I feel that the office accommodation necessary for the carrying out of this work should be, at any rate in the early stages of this more comprehensive scheme in the Technical College. I also believe that the people to take over this work should be drawn from the members of the staff of the Technical College because they have both educational and industria.l experience that peculiarly fits them for this work. “Vocational guidance is not their only activity. An equally important activity is their educational guidance, but that education guidance must be modified by an expert knowledge of commercial and industrial life. I think, therefore, that the best results for educational and vocational work in Wellington are to be obtained through:—

(1) Retention of this college as the centre for the development of this work.

(2) The appointment of members of this staff as vocational guidance officers.

(3) Close association, not only with industry and commerce, but also with all branches of the Labour Department.

' “The Minister’s statement envisages the employment of vocational guidance officers for part of the time only. The rest of their time will be spent in teaching work, but he has also stated that, as the need arises, more time will be given to .educational and vocational guidance. I believe that now in Wellington one of the proposed vocational guidance officers should be employed for the whole time in this work. Mr. Kirk has kept a close watch on the day school, but only recently has he been able to give any time to the needs of students attending the evening classes. There the need for educational guidance in association with vocational work is just as great as it is in the day school, and the need for following the careers of young people first placed in industry is very great. If this is to be so thorough an institution, surely when the work is to be extended to include all adolescence of Wellington, at least one full-time officer could be profitably engaged. I think while the scheme is under consideration the board should make representations to the Minister on this important matter.” On the motion of Mr. A. C. Blake, it was decided to make representations to the Minister along the lines of Mr. Rixlling’s report.