Careers:TRAINING

The 150th Training Workshop run by the Manpower Services Commission under the Youth Opportunities Programme was held in Wigan, a depressed area in employment terms for young people and school leavers. The idea of setting up training workshops within YOP emerged as MSC planners recognised the importance of providing basic work experience in a productive environment as part of the wide range of opportunities offered under the Programme. The aim is to provide as near as possible the kind of atmostphere that young people will experience in acommercial environment; they are subject to the same disciplines found in factories and offices, and they learn about safety requirements and the qualitative and quantitative standards required in the commercial world. As for other YOP schemes, trainees are aged 16 to 18. In a workshop they can aquire basic skills in different activities including woodwork, metalwork, assembly work, industrial sewing, catering, and general office duties. The goods and services provided are selected by the sponsor and range from wooden and metal furniture, tool boxes and vehicle body repair to soft toys, children's clothing, aids for the disabled and playground equipment. Many workshops also provide renovation and refunishing services. The scope is unlimited, since it covers anything which can be sold locally without competing with other firms. One workshop makes printed circuit boards for microprocessors; another produces museum replicas in metal; another is trying aluminum melting and casting on a small scale. Whatever the activity it is geared to providing work experience relevant to the needs of local industries.