TRAINING APPRENTICES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18784, 18 May 1923, Page 4

TRAINING APPRENTICES

PRE-VOCATIONAL COURSES. (.Per Press Association. 1 WELLINGTON, May 17. < The difficulty of adopting courses in technical schools to the proposals for training apprentices contained in tho Apprentices Bill, was referred to by the Director of Education, Mr. Caughley, when speaking before the Technical Education conference today. The main points of tho difficulty were in connection with technical school attendance, and part time instruction. Consideration might very well be given to trying out apprentices in what might be called provocational work, with the object ot determining what course a boy was best cut out for. The school courses might be overhauled so as to provide a well thought out plan of hajidcraft work whereby a boy could be prepared in three years for any trade or occupation. The Education Department would look into the matter and see if it could adopt the courses of technical schools in trade subjects, to that end and to provide for a full time day period for handcraft work in such a way that there would be no overlapping.

ADAPTATION OF TECHNICAL SCHOOL COURSES. STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 17. The difficulty ot adapting courses in technical schools to proposals for the training of apprentices contained in the Apprentices’ Bill waa leferred to by the Director of Education (Mr J. Catighley before the Technical Educate ti Conference. The main points of difficulty in connection with appienticeship training, ho said, were in connection with technical roliool attendance. He would not dare to express an opinion upon the vexed question of parttime instruction, but the Education Department and tlie labour Department were working together in the matter, and he was hopeful that the difficulty would be cleared away. Consideration might very well lie given to trying out

apprentices io what might be called provocation a I work, with the object of determining what course a boy was best cut out for. (Some y.iuths might desire to become clerks, and a small course of gcißera!, handcraft v ork might show them to have an actual bent for another calling. The interest of the lad could l)o aroused by applying him to a course in that subject, and he might thereby he directed to a more useful occupation than if he had followed his earlier desire. Technical school course* might be overhauled so as to provide lor a well thought-out plan ot handcraft work, whereby a boy could be prepared in three years for any trade or occupation. The Education Department would look into the matter, and sco if it could adapt courses of technical schools in trade subjects to that end. and provide for a full-time day period for handcraft work in such a way that there would be no overlapping. He cited instances cf difficulties involved in part-time training He referred to the necessity for completing theoretical instruction before commencing rxractical work. Tho number of pupils attending schools in the four large centres was now so large that it might be advisable to sub-divide the work, provide lor commercial courses in other ways, and leave the schools open lor strictly technological subjects. Since, a conference was hold in Wellington for the purpose of discussing the provision* of the propose 1 Apprentice Bill, the Minister of Education (Hon. G. J. Anderson) has devoted much time to the question. He stated that discussions Lad Loen most useful. He will hear still another side to the question when be receives a deputation from the Technical Education Association, which is now’ holding its annual conference in Wellington.