ENGINEERING EMPLOYERS AND SCIENCE STUDENTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7979, 9 December 1911, Page 6

ENGINEERING EMPLOYERS AND SCIENCE STUDENTS

Many engineering employers, during the last few years, have recognised that systematic scientific education of the modern university and college type is vdry essential to the future progress of engineering science, and, according to Mr J. W. Horner, B.Sc., have, in consequence, extended sympathetic assistance to college students by granting to them facilities to obtain practical experience in their workshops, in order that they might have the opportunity to build up that “engineering instinct” which is so necessary to become a successful engineer. The authorities of tho universities and colleges, also recognising the necessity for this workshop period after the completion of the college course, have endeavoured, and with very considerable success, to arrange with a number of engineering firms in the industrial centres iu which they are situated to co-operate with them in granting college students the privilege of this workshop training. But what strikes one, Mr Homer continues, after a careful study of the apprenticeship schemes as arranged by the college authorities. Is that the co-operation between college and employer is not sufficiently definite. It is an undoubted fact that only a certain proportion ot engineering students who finish their college course successfully aro suitable to proceed to tho workshop for practical training, and the purpose of this'note is to suggest'an arrangement to • ensure that engineering employers shall bo asked to give facilities for the practical training of only the most suitable ■students. In the provincial industrial centres it would not seem to be a very difficult problem to arrange for a close and definite co-operation, 'between the engineering employers and tho heads of the engineering departments of the colleges on the above lines, in view of tho fact, that the “ civic ” universities, such as Manchester, Birmingham, etc., and the ‘ technical colleges, such ae Glasgow, have, been built and highly equipped hy ’ contributions from the local captains of industry, who in this way have shown a living interest in the advancement of scientific training. The governors of those provincial colleges, in order to have! the'education thoroughly in keeping with the advance in industrial methods, have adopted a liberal policy in their methods of management; and in order always to be in close contact with the various industries in their district, - they have adopted the wise policy of 00-opting loading representatives of the various firms to aot on the committees of each department. It would appear, therefore, to be a simple matter for each centre to form a strong committee, in connection with th© college, composed of these influential representatives and the lie.ads.of the engineering departments. The duties of this committee would be :e—l. To consider the selection of -, students made by the professors. 2. To make arrangements with the firms who are willing to grant facilities for practical training to start these immediately on the conclusion of the college course. 3. To arrange that recommendation nine of the report is carried out as far as possible. 4. To induce a still greater number to grant such facilities, Tho question of an arrangement on the same lines between , the colleges and polytechnics in London and engineering employers is much more complicated and more difficult to solve. In London a number of unconnected colleges and polytechnics cam© into existence during the latter part of the nineteenth century, due in a great measure to the subsidising of engineering training by the wealthy and. generous city companies, with the result that there is not as , yet any central governing body who could aot in uniton with the various 'colleges and with engineering empldyers in London and the provinces to arrange for the practical training of all the most suitable students educated in the London colleges. In 'consequence ot this condition of affairs, each college has had to make' its own arrangements, with the result that many capable students have been unable to arrange for their practical training—Engineering.