VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17179, 5 June 1919, Page 8

VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

EXTENSION OF SCHEME. HOSPITAL WORKSHOPS, INSTRUCTING OUT-PATIENTS. [BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

Officers appointed to supervise the vocational training of invalid soldiers conferred recently in Wellington. Tho director of i vocational training presided, and some im- , portant extensions of work among soldiers in hospitals and convalescent institutions were arranged. Hospital workshops have been provided at Auckland, Rotorua, Napier, Trcntham, Christchurch, Hanmer, Timaru, Dune-din, and Invercargill, Funds for this purpeso and for the provision of equipment havo been provided by tho New Zealand Bed Crow Society, which devotes itself to the weJfaro of sick and wounded soldiers in these hospitals. Instructors havo been appointed to teach trades suitable to hospital patients, such aa boot repairing, carpentry, cabinet making, motor-engineer-ing, and business courses. There aro 1302 patients at the hospitals in Now Zealand, and the outpatients num- j ber 1871. All the vocation officers re-1 ported that they were overworked, and assistant vocation. havo been appointed in Auckland and Christchurcli. Similar appointments are to bo made in Wellington mid Dunedin. This extension of staff will enablo the branch to pay special attention to tie needs of soldier outpatients. It is tho wish of the Minister for Defence that these patients should bo trained in tho same way as those undergoing treatment as in-patients. All outpatients will be interviewed by tho vocation officers, who will advise them as to the best training for civilian positions, and encourago them to tako advantago of the educational facilities provided by the Department. The relations of tho educational and vocational training branch with tho Repatriation Department, which looks after tho soldier upon discharge, were fully considered at the conference. A representative of the director of repatriation and of the secretary of the Repatriation Hoard attending. It was decided to co-ordinate tho work so that the men who have been trained while undergoing medical treatment may continue their education after discharge, under the direction of the Re. patriation Department.