Apprentice Instruction
A Talk with Workshop Staffs

(By Geo. Carter Instructor Petone Workshops)

The success of apprentice instruction in New Zealand is to a very large extent dependent on the co-operation of those men who come in daily contact with apprentices. That co-operation is of paramount importance and cannot be stressed too much.

An employer when he engages a boy for any trade is legally bound to teach the lad all branches of the particular trade for which he is indentured, so that the Railway Department, by pioneering a scheme of instruction for all trades in their workshops, is entitled to first place among employers of apprentices in this country. There are many difficulties in the initial stages of launching such a scheme, and the most critical and watchful eyes upon the progress of the classes will be among workshop staffs—and rightly so, provided it is a helpful and constructive interest. It must be understood that instructors can at most be masters of only one trade; but so many subjects and practices are general, that until there are records, and it is found exactly what is most helpful to the making of good, all round tradesmen, there is ample in which to instruct every apprentice. An interested apprentice is a good apprentice and, obviously, if that interest is maintained throughout his indentured period, not only will he make a better tradesman, but he will be a better student.

It remains for the men working with these boys, to take them, figuratively speaking, under their wings. For forty-one hours of the working week, boys are in the shops, so that if the instructors do not get the support of the shops' staff, then their work is going to be seriously hampered. I do not care what is the position of the man in the shop, he can impart sound advice to a boy and cultivate a feeling of respect which should be an important feature of a boy's apprenticeship. I would suggest that every man act towards, and advise, boys as they would expect men to act towards their own sons.

My point is—more shop discipline for the boys' sakes. At a later stage I intend to write something for apprentices dealing with their shop life and the advantages to be obtained from good discipline.

Within the last few weeks I have been asked what is going to be done for the present 4th and 5th year apprentices as the present arrangements include only boys up to their third year. Such inquiries give an indication of interest and are very gratifying. It is the intention of the Department, when the present classes have been placed on a good foundation, to provide suitable instruction for these boys also.