ELECTRICAL TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 107, 1 November 1941, Page 8

ELECTRICAL TRADE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I read in your paper where the Minister of Labour (Mr. Webb) has been approached as to the unsatisfactory results attained by apprentices in recent examinations ,in the electrical trade. What is the reason? May I point out a few?

The apprentice is confined 90 per cent to house lighting, which must show a profit in every case, with the result that as soon as the apprentice gains his fourth year it is obvious to him the trade is of n.o use to him., The standard of wage for a licensed trade is and has been as low or lftwer than the average labourer who has no worry or risk. It is also obvious to him that the tradesmen are not getting the support of the employers and manufacturers in particular who provide any person or any shop with electrical equipment for sale, said persons and shops not being connected with the electrical trade whatsoever.

In addition to all this, it is a definite fact that no trade has more scope in theory than the electrical trade-

With regard to the technical schools, in ray opinion, more effort should be put into the practical test and less mathematical problems which any accountant could pass and has done without having the slightest idea of what it means. Finally, the apprentice has to pass a theory examination of questions picked at random and in many cases, enough to break a boy's heart.

To conclude, it would be interesting to the Hon. Mr. Webb to have a list of young men supplied, who have served their full apprenticeship, holding responsible jobs in the electrical trade and also the number of men