CHOICE OF A CAREER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20384, 12 October 1929, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHOICE OF A CAREER.

BUILDING AND ENGINEERING,

BY E. MOWIJKAY-FINNISS.

VIII. Architecture, which has been described as the printing-press of all the ages, rocords tho history of the state of society in which it was erected, from the cromlech of the Druids to the modern skyscraper. Emerson portrayed the Gothic cathedral as a blossoming in stone. While this simile aptly describes a fine piece of work like the Auckland Memorial Museum, our great cities, when viewed from the air or from terra firma, do not impress one as blossoming gardens, for the streets are too narrow and the lines of the buildings too hard. There is no ancient Athens in (ho world to-day. Architecture has become in recent years so commercialised that aesthetic beauty is of secondary consideration to the bare conditions of accommodation. Most architects would build a monument rather than a reinforced concrete warehouse, but to ono monument there are ten thousand warehouses, and, like every one else, the architect has to live. Our great stores would do well to follow tho example of the house of Libertys'. of Regent Street, London, when rebuilding. This firm has erected its new store in true Tudor style, using tho English oak from our old derelicts for its massive woodwork, so that the store stands out as one of the finest pieces of modern work in London to-day. But Libertys' is quite the exception, for most of the great stores, banks and hotels are symbolic of our age, which lias become so materialistic and matter-of-fact that there is little poetry or music loft. While, then, the architect's work is still creative, it has bccomo very much more concrete—and • this word might be used with its double connotation —and with the modern steel-and-concrete method of construction ho is living in quite another world from that of his immediate predecessors. Beauty and Business. The modern dwelling-houso has been beautified in recent years both within and without, and still offers great scope for original designing and innate tastb. Any boy of keen intelligence may make a successful architect, but he is far more likely to succeed if he is artistic and has a keen sense of harmony, together with that rare gift-—originality. There must be, built up, on the foundation of a good education, a wide culture of the mind, leading to a general appreciation of all the fine things of life, particularly of painting, sculpture and craftsmanship, enabling the student to produce work of innate good taste. He also requires to have the business instinct, and should be an adept at estimating specifications, quantities, legal requirements and restrictions. The degree of Bachelor of Archilecture_ requires a four years' course at the University. During this period at least twelve months practical work in an architect's oftico (approved) is necessary. Tho building trade in New Zealand engages more men than any other industry in the Dominion, being fairly closely followed by that of saw-milling. Over two and a-ha If million pounds were paid in salaries and wages to the 10,745 persons engaged in this trade in the year 1926-27. The various branches of the building trade offer good openings to boys who are alive and show marked ability in the use of their hands. The old adage that every man should have a trade at his finger ends still holds good, and the fact that our boys can acquire a trade so easily at our technical schools not only show's great common sense 011 behalf of our educational authorities,bbu t should make unemployment almost impossible in a few years to come. The fact that so many New Zealand boys have built up a good business of their own by those rare qualities of initiative and hard work should bo an incentive to boys to-day to follow in their footsteps. The one grave disadvantage of this career is tho uncertainty of the work, and unless a man is thrifty and puts by a portion of his big wages while he is on a job, ho is bound to suffer need sooner or later. Even some of the oldestablished firms reluctantly dismiss from timo to time some of their best hands for the want of work, and the Dominion is 110 execution in this matter. But big money has been made in the building trade bv almost all classes of men employed, and as tho Dominion prospers its cities will be practically rebuilt and its suburbs extended, so that there are good prospects ahead. An Engineer's Training.

Through tho magic of the engineers hands tlio whole of industry now revolves, so that it is no wonder that nine out of ten boys decide at a very tender age that they will be engineers'. Mechanical mo\cmeut makes a tremendous appeal lo a boy. Whilo engineering in most other countries of the world plays so important a part in the activities of. the people, the Dominion of New Zealand has not yet awakened to the latent possibilities in this great industry. Only 3778 persons wero engaged in engineering works in 1326-27. But, even so, this fact should not discourage boys from entering this career, for engineering will surely form one of the chief secondary industries before the Dominion is very much older. Tho Swiss people, who make the finest watches in the world, specialised in this business for the sound reason that, their very mountainous country precluded them from making heavy machinery. If we are not rich in mineral ore that fact need not discourago us from manufacturing mauv of the articles that wo import every day'from almost every country under the sun. Tho fact that "the Dominion is an insular country has made marine engineering a necessity, and there is more scope in this branch of the science than any other. The chief difficulty with which boys are faced in choosing this career is that of gaining practical training. It is as necessary for tho would-be engineer to go through the workshops for his practical training as it is for tho doctor to walk tlio wards of tho hospital, but it is just here that the Dominion fails him, for the workshops arc so few that they cannot accommodate all tho boys who would follow this career. Wake Up, New Zealand Boysl When a boy has finished his training ho should make exhaustive inquiries as to tho possibilities of tho various branches open to him; but whether he enters tho civil, mechanical, electrical, wireless and cable, mining, marine, automobile or aeronautical branch of engineering, each offers a very lucrative occupation to the fullytrained, experienced and competent man. Few boys rise to any prominent position in this career because so many do little more than play at the calling. It. may bo interesting to pull a motor-cycle to pieces and put it together again, but that will not carry a boy far to-day in the engineering world. The university grants the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in any one of the five following branches Mechanical, electrical, civil, milling and metallurgical. After matriculation a student must pass the engineering preliminary examination, then attend one year at a constituent college, pass the engineering intermediate examination, and then put in at least three years' study and pass the lust,, second and third professional examinations. During this course a student must spend a certain time in the practical work of a recognised engineering school. Tho course 'S a stiff one, but at the end of it. Micro are splendid opportunities, especially if a boy is willing to go abroad. " Ono" fact appears to mo to be of greater importance than all others," said the president of the London Institute _of Civil Engineers. "It is this: in none of tho researches referred to, varied and extensive as thov have been, is there the slightest trace of finality." It is safo to say that, in company with tho chemist, the engineers liavo vet fresh worlds to conquer. Walto up, Now Zealand boys, and conquor those worlds!