CHOICE OF VOCATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26693, 12 February 1948, Page 8

CHOICE OF VOCATION

DEMOBILISED PERSONNEL ASSISTED HELPFUL ADVICE Miss Betty Giles, M.A. (Cambridge), arrived in Dunedin yesterday to take up an appointment as assistant lecturer in experimental psychology at the University of Otago. During the war, Miss Giles was the commanding officer at a W.A.A.F school in Britain for training psychology instructors, whose task was to discover the aptitudes and mental suitability of personnel for the various branches of the service. When the war ended, however, an equally important service of vocational advice was conducted by the Royal Air Force in Britain. Personnel to be demobilised were provided with all the information they needed for their rehabilitation, they were given aptitude tests for the various vocations they favoured, and discussions were held with them on the subject of careers. Many senior air force officers found that they could not step into the diplomatic corps, and had to prepare themselves for an adjustment in life by accepting a civilian position at lower rates of pay than they obtained in the service. The vocational advice service was often called on to explode the fanciful dreams of men and women leaving the service, and to make them realise their aptitudes for careers in which they would be able to make the best use of their knowledge and practical ability. In many cases. Miss Giles said, men and women leaving the air force were strongly advised to return to their

pre-war employment. After being given aptitude tests and discussing the subject fully, these men and women came to realise that such a course would be in their own best interests. While the vocational advice service did not place anyone in employment, •it provided thousands of personnel with a healthy discussion on their prospects after demobilisation. The air force was the only one of the three services to conduct such a vocational advice service, and it was operated by means of travelling teams from England to Hongkong and from Denmark to Australia. Miss Giles has also been engaged in a research unit at Cambridge which, among other things, tackled the problem of restraining redundant workers at advanced ages. When men or women were forced to change their occupations when they were between the ages of 35 and 40, they needed particular encouragement and guidance, Such people had not only to be taught their new work, but they had also to be encouraged to co-operhte with those giving the instruction. As a result <?f this research work, a more flexible labour force between different forms of employment would be ensured. The research unit was not only concerned with the present, but also with the future, and its work was continuing.