SCARCITY OF BOYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24450, 8 November 1940, Page 4

SCARCITY OF BOYS

MANY POSITIONS OFFERING GIRLS READILY PLACED THE PROBLEM OF TRAINING Although there had been numbers of vacancies in a wide range of callings, boys had not been coming forward to fill them, and employers also were demanding'boys with a better education than in the past. These were the findings of the vocational guidance officer (Mr T. Conly). as presented in his report to the association at its meeting last night. Miss L. Vial, in charge of girls, reported that grave problems would have to be faced in future because of girls without adequate training being absorbed into employment too rapidly Mr J. L. Salmond presided over a good attendance. Smallest Monthly Placement Mr Conly reported that the numbers placed in employment for the month had been 19, the smallest monthly placement for some years past, due entirely to a lack of boys for lobs. On the twentv-fifth of the month there had been 68 vacancies on the association's books. These comprised a wide range of callings, requiring boys of varying standards of education and ages. Some excellent trade apprenticeships and positions in business houses had remained unfilled, while a few unusual jobs for boys of special abilities had been offered. A few only had been satisfactorily filled. Office, shop and warehouse work had been available, while very few boys had come in for this work due principally to a desire to complete the school year. In only a few cases the jobs had been of sufficient importance t 6 warrant adult labour being engaged. Steps had been taken to organise schoolboy parties to undertake country work during the school vacations.

During the month a considerable amount of time had been spent in primary and secondary schools in and around Dunedin. compiling records of school-leavers and giving information where possible to boys who wished to discuss prospective careers. Already as a result of these activities parents were calling at the office with inquiries as to employment at the end of the school year or a programme for the next year's school work. By courtesy of Government officers in other centres arrangements had been made whereby engineering apprentices from this district who were in military camps in the north, might sit examinations in Christchurch or Wellington. Most of these young men had been originally sponsored placements of the association.

A noticeable feature for the month had been the demand by employers that boys should have a better education than had been the case for some time past, and an increased recognition by parents of the handicaps suffered by boys who are unable to secure .the advantages offered in secondary schools. It had been frequently necessary to stress that 13 and 14-year-old boys could not expect to undertake serious training in an apprenticeship, but owing to the exceptional times, worthwhile occupations could be secured by most boys of a suitable age,

Grave Problems Created

Miss Vial reported that placements had been very satisfactory in point of numbers. During October, 34 girls had been placed in employment. This was not the total going into work by any means. It was known that numbers left primary and secondary schools to take up work. Girls were being absorbed so rapidly into employment that there must be some fear for the future., Already it had been obvious that grave problems were being created to be met later on. It would be easy to be self-satisfied because so many girls had been placed in employment. Too many had gone halftrained, particularly into office work. It was obvious already th-t some of these would be an embarrassment to employers as well as to themselves later. These were not the placements of the association, however. The latter, it was expected, would prove to be the satisfactory cases. In many cases at present girls were going into employment at too early an age; they were unfit to accept added responsibility as their wages increased. Modern conditions were different from previous years when young people were kept at a small wage as juniors until they grew up sufficiently to earn increases of salary. To-day, girls could not be kept as juniors for any length of time. Experience had shown that employers generally recognised this, and asked for their junior labour at ages of 16 to 17 years, but parents and others not directly concerned with employment did not. Recent legislation had had an excellent effect in that girls of 15, 16, and over were required to start as apprentices, junic sales assistants, and office workers. The age groups of those given employment in October were as follows: — Fourteen to 15 years, nil; 15-16, 4; 16-17. 14; 17-18, 6; 18-19, 2; 19-20, 4; and 20 and over, 4; total, 34.

There had been cases known of girls of 14 years and less going into offices when it was impossible for them to. have either the general education or the training necessary. These girls could not, except in exceptional cases. go on to accept senior work and responsibility. They would become a problem of employment at an age when it would be difficult for them to find other work.

A large part of the time devoted to vocational guidance work during October had been spent in visiting schools and talking simply and directly to girls in Standard VI and those nearing the age of 14 years in Standard V, so that girls would be alive to the danger of lightly accepting work for which they were not suited and not prepared. Many young women went to the association during each year wanting to make changes in their occupation where there would be scope for their activities and for expression of personalities, too. The reports were adopted.