Legislative Assembly ship Plvision of the Department is continuing its program of apprenticeship and improver training-. Through the apprenticeship program an apprentice receives a thorough and systematic training and apprenticeship which will permit him to qualify for his technical qualification or his "TQ" as it is more popularly known. This enables him to become a journeyman in his trade. Tradesmen who did not have the opportunity of apprenticeship training, but who have worked five years in the trade are being encouraged to attend the improver courses which are held in various parts of the province and which are organized by the Appren¬ ticeship Division. These tradesmen can then take the examinations for a TQ. At the present time there are sixty apprentices indentured in the designated trades, in addition 609 persons took the improver courses during this past year. I may say further, Mr. Speaker , that in order to encourage the training of apprentices the Department of Highways and Public Works has agreed to indenture five apprentices in various trades commencing this year. This will serve as a spur to other industries to develop similar programs of apprenticeship. Five classes of a heavy-equipment operator's course, with approximately 20 persons in each class, are being carried on with the close co-operation of The Road Builders' Association. In addition are the improver courses outlined in the report of the appren¬ ticeship training division. The designated trades to date are: carpentry, plumbing, electrical construction, motor vehicle repair, auto body repair, sheet metal, brick¬ laying, plastering, heavy duty repair. The Apprentice Division of the Department is advised on the overall appren¬ ticeship training program by an apprenticeship Advisory Board. The present Chair¬ man is Mr. Leslie G. Gillespie of Charlotte town, and the members are: representing the Labour Coucil, Mr. Jack Brown ; representing employers of Summerside , Mrs. Blair Ballem ; representing the employers of Charlottetown , Mr. Ray Wight ; re¬ presenting the employees of Charlottetown , Mr. Arthur Myers ; representing the em¬ ployees of Summerside . Mr. Sheldon Harris : representing employees of Chirlotte- town. Mr. Bernard Clinton ; The Government Department of Labour, Mr. M. L. Mac - Donald and Mr. A. C. MacRae ; The Government Department of Education, Mr. J. C. MacDonald and Mr. W. S. MacMurtry . The improver courses in the province are beginnine to "mushroom" with the development of the Federal Manpower Program . The Manpower Program is de¬ signed to train and retrain the labour force by upgrading the skills of tradesmen in the trade, and teaching skills to the unskilled. This dynamic program is the most imaginative step taken to date to improve the quality of manpower in Canada . The great advantage of manpower training: is that the individual is paid an allowance while he is taking this course thereby allowing him to learn or upgrade his skfll by a concentrated course of instruction, and at the same time provide a living for bis wife and family. No man can properly follow a training course and be constantly plagued by financial worries. The end result of training and retraining is that the tradesman himself qualifies himself for steadier employment and higher wages while the employer will know he is hiring a tradesman who knows and can do his job efficiently and well. A further advantage of the new Manpower policy is that the training will become decentralized and will be carried to the people. It will not be entirely restricted to one or two established areas. Classes are held in many different areas of the province while Manpower Centres are now in operation in Charlottetown , Summerside , Montague and Souris , with others likely to be established. Under the program the province is responsible for the provision of training facilities and instruction. Up to March 31st of this year the allowances under Man¬ power Training were paid jointly by the federal and provincial governments, but under the new setup the federal government will pay the whole of the allowances. In addition, there will be additional further financial contributions by the federal government for such as depreciation, instructor's salaries, etc. Since April 1, 1967, the new program involves a program for the occupational training of adults and this opens up new areas of training and allowances. It even provides for in-plant training and this program is presently being studied and I am sure it will mean increased training benefits to our tradesmen and related occupations. Our participation in this program will only be limited by the availability of qualified and competent instructors. The Manpower Program is particularly essential at this time to Prince Edward Island because of the great labour force which will be required to build the North-