LACK OF OFFICE STAFF IN SYDNEY

Chronicle (Levin), 18 February 1947, Page 3

LACK OF OFFICE STAFF IN SYDNEY

Sydney business firms at present have more jobs offering for typists, stenograpliors and female clerical workers, and fcwer applicants for them, than at any time since before the war began. Employment section of a large business college has had more than 200 calls for office workers in three days, but has only been able to provide 23 of them. Yet a large business organisation recently advertised for a private secretary to its general manager and received nearly 100 applicalions. Many were from girls and women jalready employed but who wanted a change. Principal of__ a large female employment agency said that this seemingly anomalous position had been brought abo'ut- mainly by the war, but was also due to a variety of other reasons. Chief of these are: — Wages in factories are often higher than in offices and thousands of girls have overcome their pre-war reluctance to factory work. Factory working conditions are generally much better than formerly and girls find the wear and tear on hard-to-get clothes is much less when they work in uniforms or overalls. Many new businesses have been started since the war and all pf them are an additional drain on the pool of female labour. Most girls starting work now were born during the depression, when the birth rate was at its lowest and fewer girls are available for training in office

work. Principal of the employment section of a large business college said: "Last year we were asked to fill 4209 positions and were able to supply girls for only about 500 of them. This year looks like being even worse." * Staff superintendent of one of Sydney's ' largest offices said the female staff turn-over in his firm was now higher than at any period during his 36 years business experience. Referring to the large number of applications. received for the xisition of secretary to a general manager, he said that it was indicative of the current desire for change.