HIS LIFE'S WORK

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 67, 22 March 1929, Page 7

HIS LIFE'S WORK

EMPLOYING BOYS

AN ACCOUNTANT'S VIEWS

The problem of finding employment for boys who leave school was referred to by Mr. Ernest W. Hunt, president of tho Wellington Accountant Students' Association, when speaking at tho annual meeting last night.

'' Correspondence has recently appeared in tho papers in regard to tho difficulty in obtaining employment for young fellows who have just left school, and who have completed their matriculation examination," said Mr. Hunt. "There can bo no question that secondary training of boys requires considerable revision. At the present time there appears to be a tendency on tho part of parents to encourage their boys to (alto tho matriculation examination in preference to following a technical course and adopting a trade. It is un-' doubtedly a fact that certain boys aro better fitted to follow a. trade rather than a profession, and generally speaking, such boys can readily find employment. PROFESSIONS CROWDED. "On the other hand, many of the professions are at the present time overcrowded, and offico work generally is a little difficult to obtain. I believe that most lads who aro fitted to follow a profession can, with a reasonable chance of success, obtain employment; but, in addition to passing the matriculation examination, such boys must be otherwise.fitted to adopt professions as their future occupation. Ladß who have a prospect of entering professions, and aro able to handle this class of work, do not in my opinion find very great difficulty in securing positions; but there can be no doubt that the boy generally is not studied by his masters as ho should be in many of the secondary schools. SELECTION NEEDED. "The remedy regarding secondary school students lies to a great extent in a suitable selection for tho right class of employment; and in my opinion a great deal of valuable effort would be ■saved if the secondary school masters were to take this matter into full consideration when advising a boy the course he should take. There is little unemployment amongst well qualified accountants, possessing personality as well as suitable training; and this is evidenced by the fact that it is extremely difficult to fill good positions with qualified men when vacancies occur.

"I believe the outlook for tho qualified accountant is as good as heretofore, and there can be no doubt that suitable men will, without very great difficulty, obtain suitable positions in the, higher branches of the accountancy profession. The training in tho society will do much to equip a man for his life's work, and I hope that , the younger students will realise that attention to study at the present juncture will do much to assist them in their future lives. I have previously said that a man whose chief aim is to study the clock, instead of his employer, cannot possibly expect to succeed."

In a brief discussion which followed Mr. Hunt's remarks, the necessity was stressed for a close examination of the question of tho employment of boys, and of the labour laws, particularly those relating to apprentices.