DIFFICULT PROBLEM

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 251, 24 October 1942, Page 3

DIFFICULT PROBLEM

CAREERS OF YOUNG PEOPLE. EFFECT OF MILITARY SERVICE. A survey of the effect of military service on the careers of young people has been carried out by the New Zealand Vocational Gui'dance Association at the request of the New Zealand Technical Teachers' Asscciation. It shows that, from "December 1, 1941, to July 31, 1942, 256 boys from secondary schools went. straight into military camp; 503 boys throughout the country were unable to follow their careers because of circumstances associated with the v/ar; 143 girls were unable to follow the occupation for which they were best fitted. "In view of the fact that private schools did not come within the scope of this investigation, and eertain large secondary schools were unable to supply returns, we are forced to the conelusion that the actual figures must be considerably larger," states the Association in its report "It must be noted also that this survey covers a period of eight months only. If the war continues for a.long period these figures will steadily increase and the problem of rehabilitating these young people will be huge and difficult." LEAVING SCHOOL EARLIER. "The majority of headmasters agreed that, though in many cases it was difficult to obtain definite figures, there were many aspects of war conditions which tended to affect the scholastic and civil careers of young people," states The report. "The most obvious trend was for boys and girls to leave school much earlier than they would normally have done. This could be traced to three causes connected with the war: (a) The desire (or, because of the attitude of some employers, the necessity) to be well started on a career before being called up for military service at 18 years of age. (This, of course, applies to boys only.) (b) The lure of high wages, brought about by the labour shortage. (c) The need of help at home (on the farm, in the parents' business, or, for girls, at - home in domestic work) , again because of the labour shortage. "It is probable that these three influences have, either directly or indirectly, prevented young people from following their most suitable vocation. But even where this is not so, it has been suggested that the lack of adequate education may have some effect on the rapidity of promotion in later years in professions where better educational grounding is needed. "It seems that the problem is much more acute in the towns than in the country, where it is generally centred around one activity — work on the farm. (Note: Over 50 per cent. of boys featured in section (5) have been prevented from starting a career because they were needed to work on the home farm.) It is also quite evident that the incidence of hardship has been much greater in the North Island than in the South. "Many teachers expressed concern at the post-war problem created by the large numbers of girls who are being absorbed into industry and commerce in place of men. This fact, obviously, indicates that the rehabilitation of women will present a problem of greater magnitude than was experienced after the last war." OFFICER'S COMMENT. Commenting on the report, the vocational guidance officer, Mr A. A. Kirk, sfid it showed quite clearly that the rehabilitation problem after the present war would be much more serious than it was after the last war. In the last war the 18 to 21 age group was not called on, and most men had at least started on some career before they went into the armed forces. After the present war, however, large numbers of men with no experience in any trade or profession would be returning to look for jobs. Employers were generally helpful, but in many cases it would not be economic for them to pay the basic wage to inexperienced men. The difficulty might be offset in some measure by allowing men to be

employed at less than the basic wage, the Rehabilitation Board making up the balance. The Board had already shown that it was alive to the position by announcing trade training schemes for returned men. It was early yet to say how far the Army education scheme would help, but it would probably be directed more to the development of general culture than to fitting men for specific trades or professions. The number of men who would be prepared to study for a profession while in camp was relatively few. "It is not for me to say whether the calling up of 18-year-olds is necessary — that is for the Government to decide — but we cannot overlook the fact that the continuance of the practice will greatly increase the difficulty of rehabilitation," said Mr Kirk. V