Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-06

deepest years OF the depression nine Of
every ten graduates from technical
schools went to work when they came
out. Some of them didn't get what they
wanted, but they knew how to do some
thing and got job.
One of the highly important phases
OF the new educational program deals
with these men who didn't get what they
wanted and with engineers of various
kinds who during the depression years
had to turn from their chosen pursuits
The Defense Commission figures that
literally thousands of men who were
trained as engineers are selling life in
surance, working in the investment busi-
ness or doing other jobs totally alien to
their training.
Special Courses Planned.
For these, and for men who have had
the three years Of basic training in gen.
eral engineering, special courses are be-
ing worked out to help turn them into
specialists for the industries that need
them so badly. The Federal Govern
ment will pay for the cost Of this
training.
Below this level of training lies the
vast majority of the men and women
who must build the Nations defenses.
The biggest pool from which Workmen
may be drawn is the unemployed. Any
total estimate of the unemployed is sub
ject to dispute It runs 100000 TO-
600 5000, IL 900 900, according to who is
making the estimate and for what pur-
pose.
BY far the largest group of the I'M
employed falls into that loose classical
ton of "laborer," which covers the man
who can tote and push and swing q
pick or shovel, but whose training and
inclinations qualify him for little else.
Outside of this group, however, are
millions who have had some job train
ing, have done skilled work and lost the
skill through unemployment, or who
are capable of learning a skill. For
these the schools are running full blast
to teach them new trades or to scrape
the rust off the learning they already
had acquired. The scope of these is
broad enough to cover the whole Of
American industry.
y. y. Y. Hclplng Out.
Vocational and high schools equipped
to give trade training are running on
two-shift basis. The Civilian Conserva-
ton Corps is giving practical training
in the arts of cookery, radio engineering,
mechanics truck and tractor driving,
| fire fighting and first aid. The National
Youth Administration is helping young
| to tI,eir L,, c;,- I,
/ part-time jobs
A fresh appropriation for the Office
of Education will help widen the train
ing facilities, supplying free training for
many.
Men who have jobs but want to train
for better ones may do So Men on the
employment rolls may take a short re
fresher' course to get more familiar
with the job they used to do before they
go out to take new one. Already 72001
have enrolled for this kind of course
and 10000 of them have gone on into
jobs.
These are in addition to the young
people who are taking two. three and
four year courses in the l053 vocational
and trade schools in 825 cities For the
moment the schools in $50 cities are
handling much of the training load.
The present stress is being laid upon
types of training specified by the De.
Tense Commission: Aircraft manufac-
turing, maintenance and repair; machine
tools, shipbuilding, automotive manufac-
turing, maintenance and repair; cleo
trical. including radio: forging, boiler
and heavy steel plate work. foundry,
light manufacturing, sheet metal, wood
working, chemicals, ammunition and
light and heavy ordnance
| Some cannot be trained in hurry,
however, whatever might be the need.
For instance, only three of the 155 en-
cheering schools in the country are
equipped to teach naval architecture
and marine engineering. They are the
Massachusetts, Institute of Technology,
the University of Michigan and the Webb
School of Naval Architecture. All told,
they produced total of 81 graduates
last June. And the shipbuilding indus
try could use 5000.