TRADE TRAINEES

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23375, 5 December 1945, Page 4

TRADE TRAINEES

Competent Work By Ex-soldiers Building State Houses “The Rehabilitation Department is giving us a fair deal. We are receiving a good training and we are interested in our worK. Before the war I was a builder’s labourer and appreciate the opportunity to learn the trade.” These were some of the comments made by a group of 11 ex-servicemen who are being trained as carpenters under the rehabilitation scheme. 'lfipsp men, lAuvuig cumpreveu a fOUi monuis cuuioe m nave ueen wurs-i-.g tor nvc luuirmo oil me cons vi ne nevi ol olute liqusv-o ill uuuslas nncev, wnere mey weie uivei viowvu yesieiuay oy a repicseniative or "irie xuiiuiu ntiani.'

The imeiucii, who is an expenenceo carpyuoer, sqiu tnat uie liioii were making goOu .progress auu wneil they nap iimmicu men' two years cuuiee ihey wuuiq be compt-Lcm iladesinen. ’VY« have compieieu two Houses, lie saiu, ■ anu have mm ihe lounpanon lor anomer uouule-Uiht liouse. waning ror supplies or materials iius iorctn us to ound tne nquses piecemeal, ana uesides providing gooa experience it nas given ilie trainees an opportunity to snow tneir miciaiive.”

An inspection of tire houses revealed competent worKmansnip, tne joins being neap and tne general nrnsn good. Hie foreman demonstrated how to hang a door ana it could be seen from the attentiveness of tne group tnat tne men were keen to learn. Before the war one man had been a butcher, another a shop assistant, another a navvy, and witn one exception all had been labourers. All were satisfied with the conditions of their training and appreciated the fact that they were fortunate in being able to learn a trade. When it was suggested to them that they might start on their own account some day a number said that they intended to do so. The foreman said that the work of a carpenter was not a light job, but it was mil of interest. ’’There was always something to worry about,” he said, and the men agreed with a laugh. One trainee remarked that there was satisfaction in building a house as it was productive work which provided visual evidence of something worth while. In the training centre in Latter Street a thorough grounding in the trade is given, beginning with the use of tools, the teaching of drawing and the reading of blueprints. From sawn timber the wood is dressed before the making of doors, sashes, letter boxes, etc. Every phase of building is demonstrated. After four months in the centre, the men are drafted to State houses where they build under the eye of a competent instructor. Each trainee was expected to build a house in 12 months in the last year of his training, during which award wages would be paid. In the last four months he was expected to step up his production to one and a third houses. Throughout their probationary period the men were expected to maintain the high standard of workmanship insisted on bv the Training Centre, and the subsequent output was based on an instructional and not on a production basis.