VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

Evening Star, Issue 22084, 18 July 1935, Page 16

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

AKHUAL REPORT The annual report of the committee of the Dunedin Vocational Guidance Association to bo presented at l the annual meeting on July 21 states;—; Tiie report discloses a year’s work of steady progress and development in vocational guidance, the primary purpose of this association. Advice and guidance to those seeking the. help of the association regarding choice of careers are our most important and helpful functions, which are being called into play by both parents and young people in an ever-increasing degree. Wo therefore feel Justified in, claiming that this association is now playing a highly useful and educational part in our community. _ _ Choosing a career suitable to the abilities of each person coming to see us is a task of first importance, and in this part of qur work we have to acknowledge with grateful thanks the hearty co-operation i of educationalists and progressive employers, without whose help, indeed, we! could function but indifferently., Most | encouraging is the regular and ever-1 increasing practical support received from those employers and local author!-1 ties who use our services whenever aj vacancy occurs for a junior on their staffs. This depiand for juniors is continuous, and permits forward plan-, 1 ,ning; that is to say, we are now able I to investigate and give closer consideration to new occupations now arising in the changing world of industry. As both boys and girls are catered for by our activities, we feel that qur importance as a social body will increase as more parents and more teachers come to acknowledge our The measure

of success so far achieved is an expression rather of the soundness of vocational guidance methods in themselves than of our own personal activities. During the year monthly meetings of the committee were held, and addresses were 'also delivered by Miss E. Ross, Mr 11. P. Kidson, Mr A S. Cookson. and Mr G. Lane. Daring the past year Apprenticeship Committees have been resuscitated, meeting with a mixed reception. Varying opinions are heard on the trend of juvenile labour regulations, and we were disappointed’ that no finality was reached during last session of Parliament. We are looking forward to this ' question being finally and satisfactorily i dealt with in the coming session. This ■ is a matter in which parents themselves | might, with advantage, evince more in-Sub-committees _ have functioned more or less actively throughout the year, in some cases handicapped by the ana thy of parents and the conservatism of certain employers. The number of vacancies for girls seeking employment has varied from I month to month throughout the year, and of the total number of girls the I majority have been placed in industrial ; occupations. In these it is not unI usual to have more vacancies than girls offering. This is largely due to the prejudice many parents entertain towards such work—a prejudice that knowledge of the chances of advancement, and superior conditions obtaining | in many of onr local modern factories I would do much to dispel. The Employment Committee Is the most active of the association’s detail workers. Mr G. G. Adess has an experience in industrial affairs that is especially valuable. Other members contribute specialised knowledge of labour legislation and the oilier matters coming within the whit the

- committee’s work. During the year - the number of boys placed in appari ently permanent positions (410) showed a 3 per cent, decline. It is satisfacf tory that about three times as many 3 were found temporary work to keep , i them occupied, as was the ease in the . i previous year. Girls’ work shows an | improvement—lo 3 more in permanent i • jobs and 35 more in temporary work , than last year. It is a matter for ■ regret that we occasionally meet with t cases of exploitation of junior labour. i and in certain occupations it is noted ; that the wage scales are far from satis- - factory. Wo are well aware how ; hardly this hears on the boys ami girls, ' and on the large majority of employers i • who are anxious to deal fairly. Wheres ever possible, wo are attempting to - j remedy the position by invoking the I aid of awards and regulations or by 1 refusing supply of boys and girls. ; I Due to the dry season and low' proi duce prices, farmers have engaged ns i few helpers as possible. At the time I of writing this report _ there are some ; ■ discharged farm boys in town seeking i • work—an unusual happening. , , Through the goodness of business ■ firms and others interested in our work. ! w'e have secured sufficient financial assistance to meet our expenses during ; the year. ; Once again we have to thank the Go- ■ vernment for assistance, and also the ; Chamber of Commerce, the Manufacturers’, Association, the Rotary Club, ; the Employers’ Association, and the i City Council for their generous contributions to our funds. Without the • help of these organisations we could not 1 have carried on. In view' of the increasing service ; which onr association renders to the ; business firms, is it too much to expect ’ that the many firms that make use of us contribute something to the. cost i of earrjiiHg en our work, which

- amounts to over £4OO per year? 3 3Ur T. Conly continues to serve the t association with great acceptance. His advice and counsel are sought by both 3 parents and employers. During the 3 year the Unemployment Board, made b ' available to ns t lie •services of Mr Nor--1 man Thomson for office work. This t has been of considerable assistance to i us, and we arc grateful.