TRAINING OF APPRENTICES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 298, 5 September 1918, Page 8

TRAINING OF APPRENTICES

' DAY CLASSES AND SPECIALISATION; ; \ ' Tlie'question of accepting as part of the training of an apprentice work done at a technical school in working hours in the employer's time has for somo time been discussed by .workers, employers, and technical school A authorities. It was discussed yesterday by the conference of directors of technical schools now sitting in Wellington. Mr. Howell and Mr. la Trobe brought forward the following remit: "That for the purposes of. advising the Government and the National Efficiency Board this conference adopt a scheme for the education of workers, in manufacturing industries, that would replace or precede the period of apprenticeship." Mr. Howell brought under the notice of the conference such a scheme drafted by Professor J. R. Scott, head of the -Engineering' School Jit Canterbury College. Professor Scott proposed that a boy should be taken from the primary'school 1 at 13 years, and be instructed for three years longer ill a _ continuation school, where the principal subjects .would be. elementary science, mathematics, drawing, snd general knowledge, with technical instruction in aminor position. iA.'t ifche age of 16 lie proposed to make a division among the boys, taking 5 per cent, of. the boys, the best of them, for special training.' The lads of this unper division would then continue halftime in the works and half-time in a technical school. 'The lower 'division would go on for a year's technical and manual instruction in a technical school. Then,-at the age of 18 in tho one case, - and 17 in the' other case, there would be further'divisions. The best, of the hoys in the upper section would go for a three years' course to the university, with practical works experience in ■ the vacation. The remainder, : after passing.-the continuation scho.oi, wduld go for full time to'tlie works. These boys would be later suitable to become works foremen,. The university men would become leaders of their industry. The larger section would in their turn divide themselves into two'sections—one of boys suitable to become skilled mechanics, and the others would be the rank and file of the. operative mechanics, in both cases after a period of apprenticeship. In discussion' of the 'scheme it was pointed out that it was primarily suit-; ed only to the engineering trades. Mr. Pari" proposed that the conference forward the scheme to the Labour Pennrtmeiit to be noted in the preparation of Vcislation dealing with-appren-tices; Other'members •of the conference were'donbtful about the scheme, part'';njprl.v ibent that- nart of it which .sought to afford.. 1 boy ai l easy road to the too in hi« business. If ivas further argued thai; in most industries no long ter'n of armrentieeship, was Tile original remit fid Mr. Park's proposal also were carried.