FROM SCHOOL TO WORK

Southland Times, Issue 24232, 16 September 1940, Page 6

FROM SCHOOL TO WORK

Demand For Boys In

Trades

EFFECT OF WAR ON EMPLOYMENT

With the war taking a large number of men out of civil life’into military life many business firms in Southland are experiencing difficulty in keeping their staffs at the strength necessary for business requirements. This position applies particularly in the trades, from which at the present time, there is a strong demand for youths

The result of this demand is reflected to a greater extent in Invercargill in the roll of the Southland Technical College rather than in the roll of the Southland Boys’ High School. So far as girls are concerned, the war has not affected the number of commercial openings offering. “There is a decided demand for boys and a fair demand for girls,” said the principal of the Southland Technical College (Mr C. A. Stewart). The result of the increased demand for the services of boys was that they were able, to a certain extent to pick and choose, a situation very different from that ruling a few years ago. , The demand came mainly from the engineering and electrical trades, whereas there was a decline in the inquiry for youths to enter motor garages, reflecting the decreased business brought about by the petrol restrictions On Thursday there had been four inquiries from engineering firms. for lads. “Blind Alley” jobs were at a discount with the boys just how. With a good number of positions offering they were more inclined to await an opportunity to enter the trade they had in mind, rather than leave school to work in a job which did not hold out reasonable- prospects for advancement. As was usual at this time of the year in the Technical School, there was a drain on the school roll, as a pupil did not wait until the end of the year if there was a suitable job offering, but took it and continued his studies at night classes. The demand for girls, said Mr Slewart, was about normal. There was a fairly steady inquiry for girls for commercial positions and for work in shops. NO NOTICEABLE EFFECT “The effect of the war has not been very noticeable so far/’ said the rector of the Southland Boys’ High’ School (Dr G. H. Uttley). Next year, however, it could be expected to have an effect in creating a greater demand than usual for boys to enter business life;' . / There was a good demand at the present time for .the good type of boy to enter banks,, insurance offices,'and firms where accountancy students were required and sometimes it had not been possible to supply-,boys. The majority of the boys would riot take a job until they- had passed matriculation and therefore were not leaving before the end of the school year in any greater' numbers than usual.

Some firms were asking for young boys and were offering : the minimum wage, which in some Cases was too low for many boys to accept. There had been inquiries for boys about 15 years old, but not many such positions.were taken by the high school pupils; Banks and insurance offices were demanding lads who had passed matriculation, and once this examination was passed there were plenty of possibilities. With matriculation, a boy could “walk” into the Public Service and, because of the large number of Government positions offering, due to the loss of men through enlistments and possibly to the expansion of Government departments, boys who had passed a lower scholastic examination were being accepted for clerical work. There was an increasing demand for accountancy students, said Dr Uttley, and particularly for boys who, after they had left school would continue with their examinations and become qualified accountants and not remain unqualified clerks. The principal of the Southland Girls’ High School (Miss A. Eastwood) said that the demand for girls to enter commercial life was normal.