Coast Girls Prefer Teaching, Nursing And Public Service

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 October 1948, Page 8

Coast Girls Prefer Teaching, Nursing And Public Service

The majority of pupils in Greymouth and Hokitika post-primary schools intend to sit the school certificate examination, according to Miss C. E. Robinson, girls’ senior vocational guidance officer, who recently visited these West Coast schools. Primary school teaching, nursing, and the Public Service are probably the most popular careers among the girls in these schools. t * - Some were interested in physical .education until they realised the full extent of the course. Veterinary work is a career which is having a vogue among many schoolgirls at present. Unfortunately there are almost no openings in New Zealand for girls in this work, and the degree course in veterinary science is not available nearer home than Sydney University.

Scientific Work

Other girls, Miss Robinson found, were interested in taking up some form of scientific work, but were unwilling or unable to study for a science degree. In fact, very few girls showed keenness to go on to the university. There are some openings for girls as milk technicians, and five bursaries for a one-year course in this work at Massey College are now offered. A certain amount of routine laboratory work is also available. Hardly any girls wanted to take up post-primary schpol teaching. This might be due to lack of knowledge of university bursaries available for Suitable persons wishing to take up this work, Miss Robinson said. Other occupations in which very little interest was shown included all the sewing trades. There were, in any case, very few openings in this type of work.

Miss Robinson commented on the general health of the girls. She found no trend to any particular weakness, and on the whole there .was an improvement in health, she said.

Preferences Of Boys

The.stiptilation in conditions of apprenticeship to the motor-engineer-ing, plumbing, and electrical-wiring trades that employees must have two years’ post-primary education was recalled by Mr G. C. Brookes, district vocational guidance officer, after an official visit to the West Coast. He encountered three cases where boys had had to return to school because this qualification had not been ful- ' filled.

Mr Brookes said that it seemed likely that some other trades would insist on a minimum period of postprimary education before accepting apprentices. This was another reason why children should be discouraged from leaving school prematurely, he said. On the West Coast, as in Canterbury, he noted many cases where young workers had been attracted away from school by the prospect of good wages. In occupations peculiar to the

West Coast as in others, juniors had much better prospects of advancement to responsible positions if they had a good education. Young people should also ensure that there would be openings for them before entering training for certain trades. On the West Coast he saw 10 boys intending to take fitting and turning, leading to marine engineering. Apparently there would be only two vacancies on the West Coast in this type of employment, and similar jobs were scarce elsewhere.