Many More Apprentices
WELLINGTON, Mon. (P.Ai)—A record number of apprenticeship contracts was registered for the year ended March 31, said the Commissioner of Apprenticeship (Mr H. C. McQueen) today. This, he said, was a very healthy sign, especially as the low birthrate years of the depression were resulting in fewer boys being available for industry at present. The number of apprentices coming forward refuted the idea that boys were being attracted to white collar jobs, said Mr McQueen. One employer he knew had been unable to ootain an office boy at £3 or £3/10/- a week, but had no difficulty obtaining three applications for fitting apprenticeship, for which the starting wage was 35/- a week. REASON FOR RISE Mr McQueen attributed the rise in apprenticeship contracts to parental and teacher encouragement, and to the boy's belief that with a trade behind him he had a real asset even if he changed his occupation later. Altogether there were 12,868 apprenticeship contracts in force on March 31. This year’s record figure of new contracts was 529 higher than the previous record of 3396 registered last year.
The most popular trades as shown by the new apprentices (the total number of apprentices in each being shown in parentheses) were:— Carpentering, 866 (2695); motor trade, 698 (2148); engineering, 534 (1747); furniture trades, 306. (1119); electrical trade, 265 (1007).
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19490524.2.15
Bibliographic details
Northern Advocate, 24 May 1949, Page 3
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224Many More Apprentices Northern Advocate, 24 May 1949, Page 3
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