I was most impressed by the quality and self-assurance of all the many apprentices we met, and they spoke very highly of the thorough training and individual attention they were receiving. Each apprentice has, of course, to spend a certain time in each of the shops, and this means that not only does he learn something about the handling of machines, but he also meets many craftsmen and tradesmen and learns to see their point of view. Relations between the men on the machines and the apprentices were very cordial, and as we were taken round, many of the apprentices were greeted as old friends by men with wham they had worked for only a few weeks. This, despite the fact that the men knew that the apprentices would in many cases soon be in junior managerial positions. The welfare of the apprentices is very carefully studied, and they are encouraged to play a full part in the many cultural, social and sporting societies which exist within the company. First year apprentices have the opportunity to lodge in a well-appointed hostel on the outskirts of Derby, at a weekly rate less than that paid for most "digs", and they are assisted in finding suitable accommodation when they move out. Wage rates in general are very good for apprentices, but what matters more is that they receive their training in a friendly atmosphere, with prospects of fairly rapid advance to positions of responsibility once their training is completed. As I have mentioned in previous Careers Room notes, it is possible to obtain some idea of industrial conditions by attending one of the Short Works Courses arranged by the Public Schools' Appointments Bureau. The following extracts from the accounts of four of these courses which were recently attended by boys from this School will give some idea of the scope of these courses. K.G.C.
SHORT WORKS COURSES 1.—TOOTAL BROADHURST LEE CO., LTD. We arrived at Tootals at 9 o'clock on the first morning and viewed our programme with interest, especially the four "tea-breaks" : the whole factory is put in momentary paralysis whilst the employees boost their sagging morale and efficiency rates with the beverage (we did not complain, however !). We had talks, film-strips and visits to various departments; e.g., accountancy, with fabulous "Hollerith" tabulators in it, and the showrooms of the Home Trade Sales Organisation which had a machine to produce the effects of various countries daylight on the colours of cloth (naturally, London's light was a rather yellowish-grey). Our visit to the firm's mill was memorable because of the deafening roar of the power looms, which left one literally incapable of hearing for a quarter of an hour afterwards.
47
