Careers For Boys And Girls

Chronicle (Levin), 10 April 1948, Page 3

Careers For Boys And Girls

The following.is the second of a series of articles. arranged in an effort to aid both students of school I leaving age, and parents who have not yet decided what course their child should adopt at secondary school. A further article will be publishe.d next week. • Agriculture^ — For Girls Girls who are interestea . in the work on the land are now able to secure special training. All courses at Massey Agricultmal College are open to women students, and a hostel is available for residence. While no women are at present admitted to Lincoln College as residential students, except to the herd-testing course, women are now able to take cdurses in horticulture and agriculture, but most travel to and from the college every day. When suitable accommodation can be provided at Lincoln College it is •Intended that other courses designed to meet the needs of women will be made available. ^ Agriculture also offers a field of specialised scientific work. Girls with degrees in agricultural science flnd openings in soil, plant and animal research, an increasmg amount of which is being done m this country under the direetion of the Department of Agriculture. Some of the courses offered at Massey College are: — (1) Bachelor of Agriculture Science (B.Agr. Sc.). This is open to matriculated students only, and normally occupies four years, the first year of which, ■consisting of zoology, physics, chemistry and organic chemistry, may be taken at any four University Colleges. A further year is required to gain the Master's Degree ,(M. Agr. Sc.) . (2) Diploma in Agriculture (courses in dairy-farming and sheep-farming which take two years to eomplete) . Students must be seventeen years or over and, it is desirable that they should have had at least two • years secondary education and one or two years' practical farming experience. (3) Certifieate in poultry-farming (a certificate course of 48 weeks' duration and an advanced course of a further 48 weeks. Short courses:. (J) Dairy farming or sheep farming ( a course design- , ed for farmers who are unable to attend the college for a longer period). (2) Homemakers course in DQmestic Science' (suspended in the meantime for laek of accommodation). . This. course lasts for four weeks. Lectures/are given on

(foods and nutrition, health, firsl . aid and hoirie nursing, dental hygiene, clothing and textiles (including instriiction in dressmaking and: poultry keeping) . These • courses ' are particularlj suited -to farmers' daughters and girls- whose lives are spent on the land. , , ; "« . Although it i's only in a very few . cases that girls will wish* to work ■independently; as farmers or- engage jm specialised work, such as' poultry keeping there will always be a need for; country women trained in methods of practical farming and home praft.- Notes on the .advisability of f ollowing certain firanches of farming appear below. It must be -remembered in' each case that women with skill ,and experience will' be able to bring new interest.to the duties which afe their) special concern, mahage'- them more efficiently, and give valuable ; assistance in the general running of the farm. Speeial brahches: A short course in herd-testing may be taken ht "Massey Agricultural College, ' where instruction is given in the weigh--ing and sampling of milk, and methods of testing and recording results, . It is desirable that girls takingfthis course should know how to milk and should have, worked on a dairy farm, besides being , of robust health and possessing tact in dealing with people. No one under 25 years of age or over 35 years is accepted. ' Officers when qualifled travel "from farm to farm and visit approximately 26 herds a month. Accommodation for the night's stay and the necessary meals are- provided by the farmer. Wages range from £10 ' 10s per month for sampling of&cers to approximately £15 10s for fully qualifled officers with two years' experience. In the South Island there are neither sampling officers nor junior testing officers and the testing officer who has to carry out Ihe duties' of all three is paid on a slightly higher rate: First year £14 8s, second year £15 8s, third year and after £16 18s. Herd-testing is a sound training for future dairy farming, but the employment of women herd testers was regarded as a wartime expedient. Airways — For Boys Commercial pilots. — The following qualifications are most important: (1) Medical fitness. Complete medical fitness is essential not ' to the standards of a general practitioner but to the standards rfequired by the Air Department. for holders of commercial pilots' licences. (2) Educational qualificatiofis. University entrance standard with a. sound knowledge oi mathematics and physics, (3) Bersonality. As flying staff necessarily come into frequent. contact with the general public; those who have a pleasaht personality and propossessing appearance, and those who. afe smart and tidy in their dress are selected. (4) Age. 19 to 25 years. (5) Technical. (a) Pilotage. An applicant must hold a valid conlmereiaL pilot's licence or the neslr equivalent in pilotage experience. (b) Radio. An applicant must hold a third class Aircraft Radio Telegraph Operator's licence or proven ability to send and receive morse code clearly and accurately at 16 words a tainute. . Airraft engineers: Preference is given to those who have receive'd a technical school education in a trades course. During apprenticeship National Airways Corporation trains juniors to become licensed aircraft ' engineers,- but they are expected ,to continue their studies independently, every facility beinggiven to them in this connection, including a comprehensive technical iibrary. Instructional classes in aeronautical engineering are also provided.