TRADITIONAL APRENTICESHIP METHODS STILL SATISFACTORY

Taupo Times, Volume 20, Issue 4, 19 January 1971, Page 8

TRADITIONAL APRENTICESHIP METHODS STILL SATISFACTORY

Even though the Vocational Training Council has "only heard the criticisms" so far, it is apparent that traditional apprenticeship methods of training are still satisfactory in many industries, according to the council's chairman, Mr P. L. Laing. "We've heard only criticisms, because we invited some of those interested to make them," Mr Laing explained. The council has now set up

a committee consisting of the assistant Secretary of Labour, Mr A. R. Perry, as chairman, Messrs W. F. Molineux and D. B. McDonald, Federation of Labour; J. L. McLennan, Employers' Federation; and D. G. R. Sutcliffe, Manufacturers' Federation, as members. This committee will examine the apprenticeship scheme in depth, in selected areas, to check the validity of suggested changes and to see

how these, if proved necessary, can best be made. "Traditional apprenticeship methods appear to be still satisfactory for those industries which have always used the full range of trade skills and want broadly trained journeymen," Mr Laing said. "The new volume production industries, however, tend to require some broadly trained men, but also many others with skills more narrowly concentrated. Industry by

and large is finding it more and more difficult to offer the whole range of training in any one plant." Mr Laing said there may be ; possibilities in the so-called "modular" training in which skills are added "like bricks to a wall, or more appropriately, like units to a university degree." ' "This is of course only one of the many aspects of trade and skill training and its updating that the committee will be examining," he added.