SYSTEM OF TRADES CERTIFICATES FOR DOMINION

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1947, Page 6

SYSTEM OF TRADES CERTIFICATES FOR DOMINION

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. That the present technological examinations, should be replaced by a series of graded qualifying examinations in each trade is recommended in the report of the consultative committee set up to make recommendations to the Government on examinations on trade subjects. The report, also recommends a system of national trades certificates. Announcing this today, the Minister of Education, Mr H. G. R. Mason, said that the committee recommended that the present examinations should be discontinued when the new system became operative and that a series of graded examinations should be instituted in each trade, to meet the requirements of each trade and to be recognised as testing standards. The committee proposed the setting up of a national Trades Certification Board to make recommendations to '■ the Minister and to the appropriate apprenticeship committees, to draw up conditions for the examinations, to issue certificates, to work with the national examining bodies which already existed and to approve any regulations issued in relation to its functions. t The committee recommended' that this board should consist of a chairman and two members appointed by the Minister, two nominated by the Employers Federation, two by the Federation of Labour, one by the Motor Trade Certification Board and two by the Technical School'’Teachers’ Association and the Dominion Commissioner of Apprenticeship. The Minister said that trade certificates should be of such a standard as to ensure ,4heir ready recognition in both New Zealand and abroad. There was no desire on the Government’s part to make certificates mandatory for tradesmen but he felt that their provision would provide incentive and further industrial progress. The Government would welcome suggestions from those interested in order'to assist the Government in the preparation of the legislation which would be necessary to give effect to the committee’s recommendations.