Thursday, February 29, 1968

schools from 1961 to 1966 was replaced last spring by the Adult Occupational ’l‘ra'n— ing Act. It’s purpose is to extend training services and training allowances to all persons with adult occupational responsibilities who can benefit from training. and you recognize, Mr. Speaker, and Members of this Legislature recognize, that this is a new approach to the vocational training within this Dominion.

L. George Dewar: Does Ottawa pay 100% of the cost of that program?

Gordon L. Bennett: They pay 100% of the allowances and the training costs. This is for the adult part. The non—adult is, of course, a Provincial responsibility. Under the agreement the adult is, as you know, a person who has been in the labor force for three years under normal circumstances. The Federal Government, F’r. Speakcr, had previously been working with the Provincial Government on a sharing basis under a number of programs which were successful under the Tech- nical and Vocational Training Act provisions. Most of the funds, however, under this program from 1961 to 1966 were at the secondary school level in this Province and, of course, in other provinces and relatively little on the training and the re- training and the upgrading of adult workers. If I might be pardoned, Mr. Speaker, to present a few statistics. A Federal study showed that while 58.4% of unemploy- ed males were married, 58.4% of unemployed males were married under the old system, only 28.7% of this group were involved in a training program, anzl. further- more, the average age, again under the old program, of unplaced male job appli- cants was 37.7 years in September, 1965, while the average age of the trainee at that time was 22.2 years. So the Federal Government recognized, and I’m sure +he Members of this Legislature recognize, that most of the money was being chan- nelled into the training of young persons, many of them below school leaving age,

rather than towards older persons who needed a skill in order to obtain a job. I be- lieve the change on the part of the Federal Government, Mr. Speaker, was fully justified on these grounds. During the past year our Vocational Division has been busily occupied in getting this Occupational Training program underway, as well as carrying on their regular vocational high school work. Figures have been given to me, Mr. Speaker, which show that a total of 657 adults have been registered in a wide variety of courses and these courses are over a period which range from ten days to 180 days and the total number of days contracted by the Manpower Division for this present school year is 72,105 manpower days. I am very pleased to report, Mr. Speaker, that commencing next Monday in this Province 3 number of additional centres will be opened at which a basic training for skill development program will be introduced. This is a program, as you recognize, which enables people with something less than the required training to upgrade their academic skills so that in a year’s time they may be able to take trades training. Commencing next Monday 280 additional students in this Province will be taking basic training: for skill development and they are located in the following centres: Tignish, Alber—

ton, O’Leary, Abram’s Village, Summerside, Rustico, Crapaud, Charlottetown, Eldon, Murray River, Montague, Souris and Morell. We’re very pleased that it’s been found possible on relatively short notice, Mr. Speaker, to introduce these additional train- ing courses for these adults who wish to prepare themselves later on for training in a trade. One of the most valuable and most eagerly sought courses in the Voca- tional Training Division is the Navigation Course which provides instruction in a very wide range of the navigation field, under forty ton temporary masters, fishing masters and fishing mates, 350 ton masters and second mates home trade. Now these students take their navigation training here in Charlottetown and after having com- pleted their course, they proceed to Halifax where they are subjected to Department of Transport examinations in the work that they have done and I am told that up to the present time our students have had a very satisfactory record with over 80% of them successful in the examinations. I am told by people knowledgeable about this that we have in this Province by far the best navigation and fisheries school in, operation at the present time. The course in boat building which proved very

popular this year will be further extended next year to include an advanced course. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to announce that the Manpower Division has also agreed to sponsor a Farm Supervisor’s course in 1968-69. This will be available. Mr. Speaker, to farmers who operate farms having a reasonable amount of ma-

—69—