CHOOSING A CAREER

Evening Star, Issue 20058, 26 December 1928, Page 2

CHOOSING A CAREER

GUIDE TO PARENTS POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION To aid parents in the solution of the perplexing question as to what calling to apply children who are just now leaving school the Education Department is issuing a pamphlet containing much valuable information' upon the choice of a career. To those who have children now about to commence their post-primary education other useful hints are given. Dealing with the post-primary question, it is stated that if the child’s aptitudes and inclinations have been discovered, partly by home observation and partly from information supplied by the primary school teacher,, the parent should find little difficulty in selecting a suitable post-primary school that provides the course of instruction that will be of most benefit to the child, and assist him subsequently to enter upon some congenial' and profitable occupation. Having chosen the school, the parent should consult the principal regarding the course upon which it is desired that the child shall enter. ' The periodical reports furnished by the principal to the parent on the progress of tlie child in the course selected should always be carefully examined, so that if a mistake has been made in that selection the child may be transferred as early as possible to some other more suitable course. If the child has 1 not revealed any pronounced aptitude or inclination the parent should decide from the information given in the primary school reports and from the verbal opinion of the teacher whether the child had better enter upon an academic course loading to the passing of ifuo public service entrance and the matriculation examinations, or whether iie should take up a more practical course leading on the one hand to some commercial occupation or on the other baud to one of the trades. PART-TIME OCCUPATION INADVISABLE. If the parents’ circumstances permit, the pupil should enter upon a full-time post-primary course. Part-time day courses for children who are not engaged in an occupation are not advisecL Parents are also recommended not to’ enter their children for short academic courses. ' If they know they cannot keep their children at a post-primary sciiool for more than a year or two they would he well advised to select a course of a practical type. These are to be found mainly in the technical schools, but also in some of the secondary schools. Consultation with the principal is recommended. Parents are urged to see that there is no marked break, in the pupil’s attendance at school. If ho is not going to work on leaving the primary school he should immediately enrol either at a technical school or at a secondary school. If the child alter leaving the primary school is seeking employment, but cannot immediately secure a position. he should enrol at a technical school, and, as soon as he secures employment, transfer to tho evening classes. In such cases the parents should consult the, principal of the school in order that the pupil may cuter upon a course of study that he can continue in the evening classes. FACTORS GOVERNING CHOICE. After placing his child in a postprimary school, the parent should continue to observe the child’s aptitudes and inclinations, so that ho may make an intelligent choice of an occupation that, will be congenial to the child, and that will not only satisfy the natural craving all people have for self-realisa-tion, hut satisfy the desire for happiness through achievement. Blind-alley occupations—that is, those that offer the hoy or girl little prospect of advancement—should be avoided. At the same time, duo regard should be paid by the parent to the prospects of employment in this or that occupation. Tho several factors which should affect the choice are:— 1. The child’s natural bent governing the typo of occupation for which he wishes to prepare. 2. His ability to pursue the course with profit to himself and others. 3! The length of time which he can afford to spend in this preparation. 4. Tho facilities available for day or evening courses, f As regards the first of these factors, it may be assumed that a boy of character, determination, and general ability will do well in any occupation which ho may wish to enter so long as he suffers from no specific disability in regard to 2«at occupation. Naturally, in cases where a strong special aptitude is shown, it is wise to consider choosing an occupation which this particular aptitude will have full scope, and it is perhaps in cases where the general ability of the child is not above the average that most weight should be given to any special aptitude. Lists of professions and trades are given in the pamphlet indicating what special aptitudes are found to bo useful in each trade or profession. In all cases the main requisites for success are character, energy, and general intelligence. It is also a mistake to suppose that trade and industry offer Jess scope to the brilliant boy thjm do the learned professions. ENTRY TO PROFESSIONS. If the pupil can continue his postprimary full-time course for four years or more lie should aim at securing the lower leaving certificate, matriculation, and the higher leaving certificate. Boys and girls who remain at a post-primary school for four or five years are usually too old for apprenticeship to a trade, in which the ago of entry is sixteen years or less. For appointment to a clerical position in banks, insurance offices, warehouses, and other commercial houses and in municipal and other service under local authorities a boy must usually be not more than eighteen years of age and not Jess than fifteen. Generally speaking, boys and girls who complete satisfactorily at least a four years’ course of post-pri-mary education may look forward to entering a profession or the more professional occupations in commerce anil industry. _ In deciding whether a boy or girl should continue full-time day education after leaving the primary school it is to be remembered that many children begin to show their true quality only after leaving the primary school, and that therefore too much importance should not be attached to the circumstance of a child’s failure to win a certificate of proficiency. The less precocious pupils often produce in the long run the more solid achievements. The greater part of the pamphlet gives in much detail the qualifications necessary for entry into the various professions and trades, the remuneration attainable in different positions, the opportunities of employment, hours of work, period of apprenticeship, etc.