WOMEN'S WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 80, 1 October 1940, Page 6

WOMEN'S WAR

SERVICE

SPECIALISED TRAINING

For women volunteering for work under the control of the "Women's War Service Auxiliary special short courses are being held at the Wellington Technical College, but regret was expressed by the director of the college, Mr. R. G. Ridling, in his'report to the Board of Governors last evening, at the fact that there had been no enrolment for training in the sewing trades. Engineering classes are held on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and work has been arranged for two groups, each taking a course of lectures with the associated workshop practice. Classes have also been arranged in cookery and in laundry work. '"These classes will operate on four nights in each week, approximately eighty women having enrolled for training," stated the report. "As the courses are short a,nd this term is limited to ten weeks the basis of the training will be mainly work required for assistance in hospital activities. However, it is important that stress should be laid on the fact that these short courses are for specific purposes, and are in no wise comprehensive enough for all the activities which might be required of women under an emergency scheme. It is notable and regrettable that no women have enrolled for training in the sewing, trades. There is a great need at the present time for expert assistance in sewing trades, and the college is prepared to provide training to fit women for this work. Such training, however, would need to be full-time day training. I have no rioubt that women could be trained to such a state of efficiency in the college that they would be able to undertake ordinary trade work after their course was completed,"