Technical Study By Mail

Press, Issue 31095, 25 June 1966, Page 22

Technical Study By Mail

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, June 24.

The expansion of New Zealand’s secondary industries had created a widespread demand for correspondence courses in technical subjects, the Minister of Education (Mr Kinsella) said yesterday.

All the technical institu-| Mons and colleges had large’ rolls and were playing a vital part in New Zealand's technological development, he said. There had also been an Impressive increase in enrolments at the New Zealand Technical Correspondence Institute.

The institute now had 13,189 students, compared with 1337 in 1951, and had difficulty in coping with the fast-growing roll. The institute had 205 tutors and gave tuition in 446 technical subjects. Industrial concerns had expressed appreciation of the institute's work and asked it to establish additional courses. The biggest demand was for technician courses. “Many technicians, especially those with engineering qualifications, are required,” said Mr Kinsella. “This year, 270 i students—7l2 more than in 1965—are taking the institute’s engineering technicians’ courses. It is estimated that 5000 engineering technicians are needed in i New Zealand at present. I “Technician courses are becoming more complex as a ; result of the constant developments in technology. In contrast, some apprenticeship courses have become Simplified because machinery I is doing work formerly done by craftsmen.” There were now 883 persons taking correspondence courses in electrical subjects for examinations held by the New Zealand Trades Certification Board and the New Zealand Electricians’ Regis-

tration Board, and for the Department of Education’s technological examinations, said Mr Kinsella. Courses for television servicemen had begun at the institute in 1960. About 1000 students, including several women executives, had enrolled for courses in industrial and business managej ment.

Working in conjunction with Massey University and Lincoln College, the Technical Correspondence Institute was also helping primary producers. This year 895 per-

sons were taking the institute’s agricultural courses, 205 more than last year. Seventy-nine women were studying by correspondence, mostly to qualify as science technicians or to obtain a diploma in horticulture. This year 103 persons were taking a correspondence course in aircraft engineering, 38 more than in 1965 when it was started. In response to requests from local body organisations, the institute had recently begun a course in local authorise administration.