VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE OFFICERS.

New Zealand Listener, Volume 18, Issue 460, 16 April 1948, Page 5

VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE OFFICERS.

Sir-In a letter published in your issue of March 25 over the signature of C. N. MacLean (Wanganui) there are three major errors of fact:(1) The positions to which he refers were advertised as "Assistant. Vocational Guidance Officers"; i.e., junior positions normally held by people training for promotion. (2) The possession of a Diploma in Education is an optional, not a compulsory, qualification, and some (not extensive) _ teaching experience ‘was called for. (3) The salary scale (£315-£415) is the range within which such junior officers are paid. The commencing salary is determined by: qualifications, as in the case of entrants to the postprimary branch of the teaching service. There are three grades of positions above the level of Assistant Vocational Guidance Officer, for the highest of which there is a maximum salary of £565. In practice, a well qualified person entering the Vocational Guidance service as an Assistant. would be eli pe fer promotion within two years. correspondent appears to haye paniieed the qualifications possessed, by, ‘expetienced officers with those Fequired | of entrants to the service. A careful reading of the advertisement in the’ Education Gazette would have correctéd: your correspondent én points (1) arid-(2);' he could have obtained details concerning (3) by application to thd Public Service Commission or the Education Department. For your information, I enclose a copy of the advertisement to which your correspondent refers. I shall be glad. if you will publish the correction along the lines set out in the previous paragraph, as the mistatements in the original letter are likely to prejudice the Vocational Guidance service in the eyes of

the public.

A. F.

McMURTRIE

(Acting Director of Education.)

(The relevant passage from the advertisement reads as follows: "The Public Service Commission invites applications for the positions of Assistant Vocational Guidance Officer (Female), Auckland and Christchurch. Salary, £315 'to £415 per annum, commencing salary according to qualifications. Applicants should have good educational qualifications, 8 pail ably a University degree, including psychology and/or education as subjects. Possession of a Diploma in Education an advantage. Some teaching experience is desirable.’’*-Ed,)