FRUITS OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 223, 15 June 1921, Page 7

FRUITS OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING

AN INTERESTING REPORT NUMBER OF CASES CITED A report on eome of the results achieved by vocational training of soldiers in the .military hospitals has been issued by tho vocational training branch of the Defence Department. A list of actual cases is given, but only . for Trentham and Canterbury, so that it is not by any means exhaustive. For Trantham is given a long list of examination passes in a variety of subjects. As the result of their training six men have commenced bee-keeping, four have gone in for engineering or motor work, three have developed bootrepairing businesses, three are in business as basket-makers, two have gone in for building, one has become a musio teacher, another an accountant, and yet another has become a photographer.

Considerable attention has been paid to poultry farming in tho Canterbury district. ‘Twenty-eight men have started poultry farms of their own, and are stated to be doing well. A few of the tvpical instances given are as follow :— "Sgt. : Totally blind; did five months' work at Cashmere. He is now doing fairly well, in spite of his disability, with 50 fowls on a quarter-acre section. "pte. : After six months poultry tuition at Cashmere Instructional Poultry Farm, is now doing well with 500 fowls of hie own. . . -pt e . . After ten months’ tuition nt Cashmere, was appointed poultryfarm manager at . He is now poultry farming at on his own account on three acres. "Cp]_ did five months work at Cashmere. He has now acquired twenty acres at , and is farming 250 head of poultry. No knowledge of poultry previously. ... «pte. : Formerly a clerk; while convalescing nt Cashmere learnt poultry work. Now making good living at with 405 birds.” . . These are cited ns a few typical instances from tho return of tho training branch. A few of the miscellaneous successes from the Canterburv district quoted in the return are as follow: "Pte. is doing well with his own boot-repairing business at —. No knowledge of boot-repairing before instruction was given him at Hanmer. "Pte. : After five months’ fruitfarming instruction nt Cashmere, has started fruitgrowing in -—-. I "Pte. learnt cabmetmaking at Chalmers' workshop. Now employed at good wage b ythe late instructor of tho was given correspondence course in civil engineering at Hanmer, where he al'o worked in engineering workshop. Now has good appointment was sent to School of Art for course in jewellery. Now has own business at . Doing well.

"Between 15 and 20 men. no previous experience, learnt wool-classing at ‘Tlmiiru, and have classed on farms in Canterbury and Otego throughout the season. " had never handled tools till he received cabinet-making instruction at Timaru. Has now made all his furniture prior to his marriage. " , nfnrm hand before the war. did four months’ motor training at Hanmer, and turned out a very painstaking and reliable mechanic. Also obtained his driving license. " learnt heavy basket work et Chalmers. Now do+ng well with his own basket business nt .” Apart from the practical results sheared. there have to be taken into eonthe medical benefits, which, the doctors claim, play a large part in the men’s recovery.