N.Z. NEED FOR MORE ENGINEERS

Grey River Argus, 7 October 1949, Page 7

N.Z. NEED FOR MORE ENGINEERS

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES TO BE PROVIDED

P.A. WELLINGTON, October 6. Difficulties in providing New Zea land with an adequate supply of trained engineers in futu.’e were mentioned by the Minister of Education, Hon. T. McCombs, in an address to-day to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Technical Education Association. He referred to the estimate of the Institute of Civil Engineers that, unless something was done to increase the supply of engineers in New Zealand, there would be about half the number required. The Minister said that over th e years ahead there would also be the problem of finding instructors of professional engineering standards. He did not like recruiting teachers from England, where educational authorities were faced with corresponding staff shortages. A few engineering instructors had been brought from England, but only when absolutely necessary.

Mr McCombs added that New Zealand was becoming more and more industrialised, and it was desirable that her tradesmen and technicians should be properly' qualified by being given the best training. If further apprentices were to be given daylight training, and if higher standards were to be provided, the Department would have to decide whether to provide additional accommodation and increased staffs at the existing schools, or to divert junior pupils to other post-primary schools in surroundingcentres. He thought that force of circumstances would necessitate the latter plan.