VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

Evening Star, Issue 23122, 23 November 1938, Page 15

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

MEETING OF COMMITTEE There was a meeting of the Vocational Guidance Committee last night. The president (M. J. L. Salmond) was the chairman. Besides reports received from the officers, there was an interesting address by Mr A. G. Valentine, vice-president of the New Zealand Institute of Secretaries on ‘ Educational Preparation of Boys and Girls for Commercial Purposes. ’ Before introducing the business of the meeting, those present paid silent tribute to the memory of Miss M. Mackenzie, whose death occurred recently. The Chairman referred to the valuable pioneer work in vocational guidance done by Miss Mackenzie, and her early association with the association. PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED. Gratification was expressed that two recent publications had been so well I received. The -first dealt with the pro- I fession of nursing, and it was hoped j that interest in this vocation might be stimulated. >A more ambitious effort I had been a careers booklet which was j being circulated free to school pupils in | Dunedin and surrounding districts. It' was expected that in this way T the work of the association might be made more j widelv known. BOYS’ VOCATIONAL OFFICER. Presenting a report on his work, Mr Conly (boys’ vocational officer) stated that there had been a steady number of callers to the office, some seeking work and others wanting advice regarding work or school courses. The callers averaged 30 a week. Employment generally’ continued good, although there

was a shortage of apprenticeships, com- j pared with the number of boys wanting such work. Especially was this so in the metal trades. Few boys were willing to go to country work. It was that employers were not so often asking for young boys, as was the case formerly. As was to be ex- ' pected, few secondary school pupils offered for the positions vacant, and in several cases employers had been advised that no, boys were available with the necessary qualifications for really excellent jobs, particularly in retail shops. During the past month 21 crippled children had been visited in their homes, to make inquiries concerning their school careers and employment questions. Of these, three who required work had been placed, two in stop-gap employment only, but the greatest difficulty had been, and was still experienced, in finding worthwhile work for crippled boys. In addition, visits had been paid to primary schools with the object of meeting those pupils who did. not propose going to a secondary school next year. This had taken a good deal of time, as the country I districts around Dunedin were covered . this year. In the past mouth visitors to the ofI lice included Mr Lambourne (Director j of Education), Mr Renyard (Director lof Technical Education), Dr Beeby I (Assistant Director of Education), Mr Wilde (chief inspector of technical j schools), and Mr Morland (chief inspector for Otago), j The careers masters in the boys’ high schools had lent much assistance in finding boys requiring work, and in holding in their courses those boys who could safely continue for some time yet. The report was received. GIRLS’ VOCATIONAL OFFICER. Miss Vial (vocational guidance officer for girls) reported that since the last meeting, the placements had been satisfactory. Employment had been readily found for those who had called at the office seeking work, and employers had expressed satisfaction at the type of girl available for the different jobs. The placements had covered a wide range of employment. The usual difficulty had been to find suitable girls of isi to 161 years of age. That is the age at which most in all classes of work, want their juniors. The exception to that had been the case of office work, where older girls were acceptable as juniors It bad been found that few girls who were under the ages mentioned were sufficiently mature to hold down their jobs under present conditions Thev did not have the common sense and the reliability, nor had they the physique of the older girl. There remained on the association’s register a number of girls from secondary schools waiting for ■ work, but again, unless their age and circumstances warranted their leaving now. they had been advised that they would be all the better citizens and I employees if they stayed at school at 1 least a part of 1939. No difficulty had been experienced in finding work for ; the girl of the type and"education required foi retail shop work.

Contacts had been made with secI oudarv and primary schools in connec- | tion with those leaving school. There had been an increasing number of call ers for advice about work and about educational courses to prepare for city jobs. The report was received.