DEMAND FOR TYPISTES

Evening Star, Issue 22193, 22 November 1935, Page 17

DEMAND FOR TYPISTES

IN EXCESS OF SUPPLY EMPLOYMENT OF BOYS NOT FAVOURED That there is no trend in Dunedin towards the employment _of boys as typists in preference to girls has been the experience of the vocational guidance officer (Mr T. Conly), who was questioned on the subject by a ‘ Star ’ reporter this morning. Mr Conly said that there was no demand in Dunedin for a shorthand boy, and there were more trained. There was an occasional demand for boy typists as an extra qualification for warehouse or store work. During the last six months there Had been insufficient girls to meet the demand for typistes, Mr Conly stated. An indication of this was shown recently when an employer advertised for a junior typiste at 15s a week. The advertisement attracted only seven replies', five of which were from girls under 15 years' of age. Following the results of the Government examinations, which were held last Saturday, there will be released for work a number of girls who have completed their training, and possibly up to 20. or 30 will be available, most of whom should be absorbed in work by Easter. “ The shortage of shorthand-typistes is largely due to the fact that two or three years ago the • fashion changed; and girls entered other courses at the Technical College,” said Mr Conly, who explained that half of the girls obtaining these positions came from the Technical College. _ “ This year the swing of the pendulum is the other way,” Mr Conly proceeded, “ and more than 100 girls entered the shorthand-typing course, which means that in 1937 the problem of absorbing them in employment may be difficult.”

This led Mr Conly to remark that the trouble was due to the unbalanced entry into school courses—there were not really sufficient girls_ entering courses leading to other vocations. There were a few senior 'typistes seeking WjOrlk, but haying regard to the training required he considered typewriting was definitely one of the poorest vocations for girls. An advertisement for an experienced typiste recently offered 30s a week, and it drew more than. 80 replies. Highlypaid positions were few and far between, and generally went to a woman with strong executive ability, who was called on to do secretarial work. One of the beads of a commercial college was also approached on the subject, and she stated that the demand for shorthand typistes was‘very keen at present. As soon as a girl completes a course she seems to find a position*,” she declared, adding that as soon as the results of the examinations came out the girls were pretty readily absorbed. This year only two of last year’s pupils' were still in the college. As soon as girls completed their year’s course they usually found that there were openings for competent juniors. Some of them came, back for the Government senior examination, and when they passed this they were often absorbed by the Governmnet. The experience this year had been that senior girls were so few that the Government had been filling positions with junior girls, which was unusual.. . There was only a very occasional opening for a hoy as a shorthand typist, she stated, and then it was often only as an added qualification for another position.