One year ago that section of the committee on labor of the Council
of National Defense which has been instrumental in developing the
training department or vestibule schools above noted recorded the
following as its declaration of policy:
“The Section on Industrial Training for the War Emergency is
concerned with industrial training only as a war measure. It is
not concerned with vocational education in general. In all cases
in the existing crisis shortage of labor must be met first by
training operatives from allied trades who are unemployed and by
advancing operatives of ability from lower to higher positions in
the occupation itself. For instance, apprentices should be advanced
rather than outsiders. It is possible that many sewing women will be
without work, and many men in the building trades. For all such, new
and fitting places must be developed where possible. Non-wage earners
must not be trained to take places for which unemployed wage earners
may reasonably be trained.”
At the same time the section on industrial training stated the
following to be its plan and scope:
1. Increased use of the public vocational schools through the
co-operation of local manufacturers. This is being done very
fortunately in Worcester, Bridgeport and some other cities.
2. Introduce new workers, men and women, into industry through these
schools.
3. Arrange for the training of present mechanics and others in
existing workrooms in connection with regular production, and by more
scientific procedure than heretofore.
4. As of particular importance, act as a clearing house, that the
judgment and experience, good and bad, in each locality may be
available to all.
The section on industrial training, a part of the welfare division of
the committee on labor, is composed of one-third representatives of
labor, one-third employers and one-third experts in factory training.
State committees similarly organized have been developed where
war products are being made. There are at present nine associate
branch committees of the section on industrial training, which are
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New England, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.