XN000022-1981-09-30 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1981

3

HELP FOR JOBLESS THROUGH THE 'LES'

****

SOME 16 000 JOB-SEEKERS, RANGING IN AGE MOSTLY BETWEEN THE IR LATE TEENS AND LATE TWENTIES, WERE PLACED IN EMPLOYMENT DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THIS YEAR BY THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE (LES) OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

+THIS WAS ABOUT 25 PER CENT MORE THAN THE NUMBER WE FOUND JOBS FOR IN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR,+ A SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.

STARTED ON A RELATIVELY SMALL SCALE IN 1964 UNDER THE NAME OF LABOUR INFORMATION SERVICE, MAINLY TO FIND WORKERS FOR INDUSTRY, THE LES, AS IT CAME TO BE KNOWN IN 1967, GRADUALLY EXPANDED ITS ACTIVITIES TO INCLUDE ALL PEOPLE SEEKING JOBS IN ALL TYPES OF WORK AND OCCUPATIONS.

ALTHOUGH CATERING FOR ALL LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND TYPES OF WORK AND OCCUPATION, THE LES DECIDED ONLY IN 1973 TO SET UP A 'SPECIAL REGISTER', ESPECIALLY FOR JOB-SEEKERS IN THE TERTIARY LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATION, BOTH LOCALLY AND ABROAD.

+OUR SERVICE, SAID THE SPOKESMAN, + IS A FREE PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE, WHEREBY WE ENDEAVOUR TO MATCH THE RIGHT PERSON WITH THE RIGHT JOB VACANCY.+

-

+IT COULD BE A PLASTICS WORKER, A FITTER, OR A MACHINE OPERATOR= OR EVEN A GIRL OR HOUSEWIFE SEEKING TO SUPPLEMENT THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME - WHO WANTS A JOB IN AN ELECTRONICS FACTORY OR PERHAPS A CONSTRUCTION WORKER, THEY ALL COME HERE LOOKING FOR WORK.

+OR, AS RECENTLY WAS THE CASE, IT COULD BE THE GIRL NEWLY-RETURNED FROM A COLLEGE IN THE UNITED STATES, WITH A BACHELOR OF FINANCE DEGREE. AND, I'M GLAD TO SAY IN THIS CASE, WE HAD NO DIFFICULTY IN FINDING HER A POSITION AS FINANCE MANAGER IN A TRADING COMPANY AT A GOOD STARTING SALARY OF $5 500 A MONTH.

+ADMITTEDLY, SHE WAS ONE OF THE LUCK IER ONES, IN THAT, WITHOUT MUCH WORK ING EXPERIENCE, SHE WAS ABLE TO START OFF RELATIVELY WELL. (SHE WAS ON THE SPECIAL REGISTER').

+BUT NEVERTHELESS, I'M HAPPY TO SAY, OVERALL, WE HAVE A GOOD MEASURE OF SUCCESS, AND MOST OF OUR APPLICANTS SEEM SATISFIED,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IN ANOTHER CASE, A YOUNG MAN WHO RETURNED WITH A CANADIAN DEGREE IN ENTOMOLOGY, WAS QUICKLY PLACED WITH A TRADING AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS COMPANY WHICH AT THE TIME WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY IN FINDING A PERSON WITH SUITABLE KNOWLEDGE IN AGRICULTURE AND FARMING. HIS STARTING SALARY: $2 500.

+

+SO YOU SEE. TIMING AND LUCK PLAY A PART IN THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS TOO, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

/ANOTHER OF