Evening star., 1941-09-16

the fact that this age group COM
prlses only IS per cent of all the
workers In the labor market.
I dislike figures, but these are
necessary: At the end OF March,
1910, when the last population CEN
sus was taken, if the unemployment
Of youth had been in proportion to
the unemployment Of older workers
between rs and A, the number OF
unemployed youth would have been
300, 900 less than 1t actually was.
Even with all that has happened
In taking work or training out OF
the lives Of young people there is
still a popular notion that young
people get hired first. This is not
true, for despite their eagerness to
work, despite their energy and am
bition, youth having no training or
experience are naturally more liable
to unemployment than any other
age group. The reason is obvious
as soon as we ask ourselves what
kind of workers industry-particu-
larly defense industry-requires to
do the job Choosing between job
seeker with work experience and
one without previous experience,
between a worker who is acquainted
with shop practices and one who is
not, the employer naturally picks
the applicant who has worked be-
fore, and who can offer an already
developed skill.
Fortunately, at least to some ex-
tent, the Government has recog-
niZed this problem 1t has devel-
oped experience giving work prof.
ects to help young people obtain
the Skills they need for work in
industry, particularly in defense in
duStry.
The National Youth Administra-
ton was created during the depres-
sion to deal primarily with this
problem. Established in 1885 to
provide work projects for needy
unemployed youth. the N. Y. A. is
preparing thousands of young men
and women for jobs in defense in
dustry. 1t does this by giving them
practical, on the job. productive
work. It's t1exibility and widespread
activities are enabling it to meet
pre-employment problems that could
not be met by any other agency.
In 800 shops and production prof.
ects throughout the country, with
$500 work stations, 10000 to $4,000
youths are learning the precise skills
which defense industry needs. They
learn the job by doing it-by ham
ding the same sort Of equipment
and using the same mechanical
processes that will be required Of
them when they leave N. Y. A. to
enter defense industry.
Work I'm Machine Shops.
In machine shops they work on
drills, lathes and milling machines
and they produce machine and
equipment parts, hand tools, and
dozens of other items. In welding
shops. youth are working on the
same equipment that they will use
in building ships. In our radio
shops, where they learn how to
repair and operate radio equipment,
they turn out useful products and
at the same time prepare themselves
for jobs as radio operators and
technicians.
A large number of N. Y. A. prof.
ects employ young women, who are
we'll adapted to many kinds Of de-
fenSe work. They learn to use in
dustrial equipment and acquire
manual dexterity. On all kinds of
N. Y. A. projects-shop work, con-
struction, hospital and health as
sistance, conservation, clerical prof.
ects. sanitation work-youth learn a
| job by doing It,
On hours arranged not to conflict
with their working time, N. Y. A.
youth attend classes under the Office
Of Education for instruction in sub
| tects which are closely related to
the actual work they are doing
They take courses In blueprint read
Ing, shop arithmetic. drafting and
other technical studies which supple
ment and expand the work expert
ence and Skills learned on the job.
Each youth Is steered into the
occupation for which he is best
fitted. II possible, square pegs are
kept out OF round holes. Before as
signment to project work, each
youth is interviewed to determine
the type of work experience that
would most nearly fit his interests
and abilities. Once he Is on the
job. his progress is watched and
evaluated. Through vocational
guidance and job rotation on the
subject, each youth is permitted to
try his hand at number Of different
types Of work, so that he may find
the activity which best suits his
abilities.
A labor migration system has been
started. Shops and resident cen.
ters are established near defense
work centers. Youth are selected
from N. Y. A. shops in the small
town far removed from the centers
of defense work and sent to these
N. Y. A. work centers from which
they secure employment in defense
industries. At Nepaug, Conn.,, for
example, several hundred were able
to get jobs in defense work during
the month Of August. There are
some TO OF these youth labor supply
centers now in operation at places
like San Diego, Houston, Whining
ton, South Bend and 80 forth. The
youth work out their maintenance
and keep the $40 in cash that they
receive per month.
Big Problems Remain.
This is the prosaic account of
what the National Youth Admin
istration does with Its money. It
Is not the whole account, for It's