Special Technical Training Courses Bear First Fruit

Northern Advocate, 12 March 1941, Page 2

Special Technical Training Courses Bear First Fruit

[Per Press Association. Copyright ] CHRISTCHURCH, Th's Day.

“An important stage has been reached in the development of emergency training courses established under the Auxiliary Workers, Training Regulations, 1941, with the entering into industry of several men from The Wellington engineering training course,” said the Minister for Labour (Mr Webb) today. “Seven auxiliary workers have been placed with Wellington firms engaged upon the production of equipment essential to the war effort.

“Requests for a further 27 men have been lodged by Wellington firms and men will shortly be released from the training centre to fill these vacancies. “It is contemplated that the whole Of the Wellington group, comprising 40 machinists and 15 welders will be drafted into industry by the end of March. Higher than Award Rate. “Auxiliary workers alteady placed have been engaged as either welders or second-class ’ machinists at the award rate of 2/71 hourly, plus 5 percent. “The regulations provide that no auxiliary workers shall be taken into employment while there is a qualified worker in the same class of employment on the register of the local union, and that no qualified worker shall be dismissed merely because an auxiliary worker has been engaged. More Being Trained. “Forty further men for the engineering industry have commenced a course of training at the Christchurch Technical College and the branch college at Papanui. An additional 45 men in Auckland have been selected for a similar course, and it is anticipated that they will commence training this month. Schemes are also in hand for training auxiliary workers for the footwear industry. Twelve are to be selected to commence a course as clickers in Christchurch, and a further 12 will be selected in Wellington.

“It has also been decided to establish a footwear trade school in Auckland. It is anticipated that a minimum of 60 male and 60 female operatives could be trained in the school annually.”