TRAINING TRADESMEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 350, 10 May 1928, Page 11

TRAINING TRADESMEN

INTELLIGENT AND HONEST WORKMANSHIP IDEAL FOR TECHNICAL SCHOOLS (From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Intelligent and honest workmanship is the objective for which technical schools should aim in the training of tradesmen. This view was expressed by Mr. T. B. Strong. Director of Education, in a short address at the Technical Teachers’ Conference to-day. The schools formed a training ground for the intelligent workman, he said. He did not wish to make a sweeping statement, but there were workmen who did not take a pride in their work. It was necessary that they should show initiative and pride in their work in industry as in the professions. Evening classes also served as a try-ing-out ground, for pupils might be following one occupation which was not satisfying to them, so they attended the evening classes to educate themselves in another vocation, for which they were likely to show more aptitude. A training in character was also of importance, for what was needed in industry as in the professions was honest workers.

The day classes did not w'orry him as much, but he admitted that the evening classes caused him some perplexity. Perhaps some of the subjects could be cut out and some saving made, and possibly the time had arrived when they should put their house in order. What he would like to do would be to realise the ambition of the student. Plumbers wanted to be able to do the necessary arithmetic to achieve their requirements without going into the fundamental principles of arithmetic. This was one of the perplexing things in evening classes. In some schools there were what might be called “hobby classes,” no doubt instituted when students could pick and choose, lie would like the authorities to say that the student shall definitely select the class he intends to adopt. There were also the continuation classes, which had grown out of the night schools of years ago. Referring to vocational guidance, Mr. Strong said the Apprentices Act had done much to encourage apprentices to attend classes, although whether it had been adequately availed of he was not prepared to say. There was still need for closer co-operation between the employers and the schools. Competition in industry made it difficult for firms which were not strong financially to take full advantage of the Act in employing apprentices, but he appealed to them to do all they could to employ our young people in' industry. Otherwise, what was the use of spending money in vocational training if the young people could not ultimately be engaged in industry?