STATE PLACEMENT PLAN

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3818, 7 October 1936, Page 2

STATE PLACEMENT PLAN

MEETS ALL DEMANDS FOR LABOUR. SOME INTERESTING SIDELIGHTS. (Special to Courier.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. ANOTHER MASS ORDER. Some weeks ago the Wellington office of the State Placement Service received an order for the supply of one hundred painters for a “ rush ” job of painting the new Tasman liner Awatea, and had the men available within a few hours. Another order for a bulk supply of helpers has been received by the New Plymouth officer, who has been asked to assist in procuring, between eighty and ninety caddies for the Dominion gojf championship, which is to be held in the vicinity of the Taranaki capital towards the end of the present month. Strange as it may appear, this order will be more difficult to fill than that for the painters, the reason being that, as the caddies’ services will be required over a period of about ten days, few boys of school age will be available during the whole of the time. The problem will be solved without a doubt. AN ARTIST-DRAUGHTSMAN. The foreman for a construction firm inquired at a State placement service office whether there was on the roll a carpenter who could draw plans for the remodelling of an old building. None of the carpenters had the necessary knowledge, but the proposition was submitted to an artist who had enrolled. He declared that he had never drawn a plan, but was prepared to try; so he was sent to the foreman, who told him what he required. The artist drew a rough sketch which satisfied the prospective employer, who engaged him at a good wage to draw the actual plans. In addition, when he has completed the plans he will be offered work on the building. CHAIN STORE OFFICIAL. A placement of a different type was that of a display manager for an important chain store organisation. This applicant had had world-wide experience of this highly specialised work, but had not been able to secure an appointment. The local State placement service officer’s inquiries disclosed the prospect of a vacancy that would suit this man, and an engagement resulted. This is only one of many cases which disprove the claim that the usefulness of the placement service is restricted to tradesmen and other manual workers. A VERSATILE YOUTH. Though handicapped to some extent by the effects of infantile paralysis, a youth of 21 years who enrolled at a local State placement service office has: shown resource and determination in order to fit himself for a business career. At college he matriculated and passed the senior chamber of commerce examination, but for some years after leaving college his employment consisted of a short period as a clerk for a business firm, two teims as clerk during the wool seasons, and a temporary engagement as a rate clerk by the City Council. In hi s spare time he had “ swotted ” for accountancy and acquired a knowledge of shorthand and typewriting. A prominent firm had advised the State placement service officer that it had a vacancy for an experienced and highly-qualified accountant, but the young man obviously was not eligible for a position of that kind. However, in the hope that his alertness, personality and keenness might impress the manager of the firm, the applicant was sent to interview him. After listening to a statement of his qualifications and his business experience the manager engaged him, at a very satisfactory salary, for a position in the firm’s accounts branch. MAN OF MXNY CALLINGS.

Congenial employment was found by a State placement service officer for a man nearing fifty years of age, whose life history disclosed that, in order to make a living, he had followed many humble occupations. A native of Wales, as a young man he journeyed to South America, where he remained for most of his life as an executive of a large business concern. A few years ago he came* to New Zealand, which for him has not been a land flowing with milV and honev. Periods on relief have been leavened with house-to-house canvassing and ether jobs even more disturbing in their effects. Now he has been reinstated in work requiring the exercise of the special knowledge that was essential in his South American job. The following brief letter from rhe employer of this man provides an interesting sequel to this story. Ho wrote: “ It gives us pleasure to state that we are particularly pleased with our first experience in applying to your department for assistance in selecting a man for our staff. We think the service you are giving is admirable, and we will advise any person seeking to engage labour of any description to get in touch with the placement branch of the Labour Department.”