TRAINING FOR EX-SERVICEMEN

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1946, Page 8

TRAINING FOR EX-SERVICEMEN

-pj ess Association

SUBSIDISED SCHEME EXTENDED

By Telegrayh—

WELLIjNGTGN, .June 9. The Rehabilitation Board has decidcd. to extend its subsidised training scheme for ex-servicemen, to.include training for retail salesmaiiship. Tlie classes 01 retailers to which the schenie will applv, are not exhaustively delined but among those the board has in mind are approved sellers of furniture, footwear, mereery and general drapery. Two years is the maxinium time over whicli training will be given. A trainee's wage, starting at £5 15s a week, rises in three 26 weekly periods to £6 7s 6d and in the final 20 weeks to the award rate. In the Jirst, second and third periods the employer pays £4 0s (5d, £5 2s and £6 7s Gd and in the Jlnal period the full award wage. The employer must tlien engage the trainee for another year at least. It was also provided that the trainee must be enabled to take full advantage of any specialised courses of training. As the result of reeenlly completed negotiations, arrangements have been made by the Rehabilitation Board to subsidise wages of ex-service engineering cadets pursuing studies leading to assoeiate membership of the Institutes of Civil, Electrical, Alechanical, Radio and Struetural Engineers. This provides an alternative to fulltime engiiteer bursaries at universitv colleges. To deal with the approval of applications for training under the scheme, engineering advisory committees have been set up under the aegis of the Rehabilitation Board at Auckland, Hamilton, Welling-. ton and Christchurch. Tlie scheme operates under the general plan of wage subsidieS 'for trade training and nfcima.l elegibilitv requirements are the same. Tlie maximum period of subsidy is three years. The trainee cadet's wage over that term rises from £5 15s to £6 a week, the sliare of the wage paid by the employer over three years beginning at £2 17s 6d a week and rising each 26 weeks to £5 5s in the Jirial six months. On the conipletion of three years the cadet is to be given eniployment for at least one year dn a wage of £6 a week.