and out-of-school youth and adults, both as to equipment and types of courses; (3) establish industrial arts classes in each school; (4) arrange for more adequate bus transportation from all parts of the county to Area Trade School; (5) explore thoroughly the potentialities for developing new industries in the county in order to provide additional employment opportunities for county youth. Experts in various fields from State, Federal, and other agencies should be consulted and the Harlan County Planning Council should assume leadership and responsibility for this activity.

Counselor Training Course

During the current school year the program outlined under "immediate steps" was carried out. Since the Kentucky State Department of Education has not availed itself of funds provided by the George-Barden Act to develop a State guidance program, the Harlan County people have leaned heavily on help from the State and local offices of the Employment Service for assistance in carrying out these recommendations. A cooperative arrangement was worked out whereby the Kentucky State Employment Service gave a 5day, 30-hour counselor training course for the staff of its own local office as well as 23 staff members from the six high schools of the county. In connection with a plan for training teachers to conduct a testing program, staff of the Employment Service will give aptitude tests to seniors of the pilot school and will help

in the counseling of these students. Employment Service staff will also give a selected battery of tests to the seniors of other Harlan County schools. Thus in Harlan County a perspective has been gained of what a rural community can do to help itself. It is significant that the Employment Service is taking an important part in this program. In so doing it is not only improving the quality of guidance service to in-school youth, but is also enhancing its own program of service to youth entering or already in the labor market.

The Employment Service can give invaluable assistance to many other rural communities by participating with school people, Agricultural Extension Service personnel, public health nurses, welfare workers, churches and men's and women's clubs in a united effort to define and act upon the youth problems in the community. Sometimes this may require. extraordinary measures. For example, mobile counseling units may have to be organized to meet each individual youth on his own grounds-in the school, in the church or in the clinic. Again it may be necessary for the Employment Service to train personnel of schools and other agencies to carry on its services and use its tools in inaccessible rural areas. Whatever it takes, one thing is certain-all agencies must work together unselfishly with the single objective of maximum effective service to those who need it.

Youth can and will be served in those communities which accept this philosophy of operation.

'OUTH'S entrance into the labor market is a really constructive opportunity for the employment service counseling program. It challenges understanding, patience, initiative. The right start for youth is imperative; otherwise ability may be lost and young ambitions thwarted.

Local office aids to counseling have recently been expanded by means of the OCCUPATIONAL GUIDE SERIES, the Occupational Analysis and Industrial Services, and introduction of the GENERAL APTITUDE TEST BATTERY. All these make for an orderly approach in the counseling process. However, local conditions may at times tend to retard the program in its final phase successful placement of the individual. A thorough understanding of community conditions is therefore of prime importance too.

The four counties served by one of our local offices have a total population of about 60,000. They are located in a typically agricultural section producing grain and livestock. The area has approximately 1,100 employers in 33 towns and villages, only 10 percent of whom employ eight or more people. With two or three exceptions, even the larger commercial

and industrial establishments do not have a trained personnel director. Few are departmentalized except in a quasi supervisory manner. For the most part, proprietors and managers prefer to exercise over-all supervision and control of hiring and firing practices. It is readily apparent from the above that we encounter situations which differ greatly from those prevailing in urban centers. In other words, instead of following more or less routine procedure, specialized services of one kind or another are sometimes required, depending on the combination of circumstances encountered in each case. For example: Even in the skilled trades and clerical positions, few of the jobs are of a specialized nature. Most of them combine a variety of duties involving several occupational classifications.

Early in 1947, when a member of the local high school faculty was designated-after special trainingas vocational guidance counselor, we immediately made arrangements with him for mutual cooperation. Frequent interchange of information, methods, and aids was made and the arrangement was, in itself, most satisfactory.

As a result, a considerable number of last year's graduates, that is, those who sought jobs instead of entering institutions of higher learning, entered upon employment without direct contact with our office. Those who were routed to our office were given the benefit of a counseling service that began where the high school vocational guidance program left off.

Over-all results at that time appeared to be quite satisfactory. However, it later developed that in too many cases dissatisfaction cropped up, either on the part of the employer or the employee.

A preliminary investigation indicated that the chief cause of dissatisfaction was—in the employer's casewhat he defined as the worker's inability to adjust himself to his work, or to fit himself properly into the employer's organization. From the employee angle, the cause of dissatisfaction appeared to be the lack of opportunity for advancement, or a feeling that his efforts were not appreciated by the employer.

The conclusion we reached was that, in both cases, these causes were merely the surface indications; that the real cause went deeper. We made an exhaustive study of several cases and finally determined the underlying cause: the lack of an established program of induction training for new employees. Naturally, the absence of such a program works to the disadvantage of both employer and employee, in that it tends to retard productive output and earning capacity, since few employers will increase a worker's wages until after that worker has demonstrated that he is worth

more.

In several cases, the employee had not even been informed concerning what was expected of him. Further investigation revealed that this condition prevailed quite generally. The employer's attitude appeared to be that the employee, if he was any good, should make himself generally useful, should be able to see what needed to be done, and should do it of his own volition without being told.

We made up our minds to do something about it, but had to proceed cautiously, so as to not have it appear that we were interfering. We began by initiating follow-up procedure within a week after placement of young or inexperienced workers. In each case where there was even a hint of dissatisfaction, we expressed a desire to assist the employer in correcting any difficulties. At the opportune time we mentioned that most successful establishments, large or small, operate on the theory that any employee, regardless of his ability, is not likely to be thoroughly satisfactory unless he is told and understands exactly what is expected of him. If this didn't seem to make the right impression, we pointed out that similar jobs vary greatly in different establishments, and cited instances in which seemingly unsatisfactory employees had become valuable assets to the employer's organization after the employer had given them a clear and thorough understanding of their duties with respect to that particular establishment.

Evidently our efforts made an impression on the employers. At least there appeared to be a lessening of the dissatisfaction which was in evidence earlier.

Accordingly, included in our counseling program for this year's crop of graduates, is a pre-referral interview with each prospective employer. At such time we shall explain that care was exercised in selecting, counseling, and, where necessary, testing of applicants to assure a type of employee that meets the needs of the organization; and that a vital requirement to assure satisfactory performance on the job is that the applicant be told what the demands of the job are as they pertain to the employer's establishment.

We are convinced that this phase of the industrial services program is vitally important in connection with youth counseling in the local area. We feel assured that it can be accomplished successfully, to the advantage of employer and employee alike, thus improving our service to the community and strengthening our employer relations program.

adequately fitting trainees for job entry immediately upon graduation; provision of accurate job information and establishment of a format for such information as a constant service by the school to its students; adjustment of assignment to courses more nearly in line with opportunities for earnings.

It is significant that, in the first annual report of the school, published 6 months after the MSES survey, data from the Employment Service were included on 16 of the 47 pages of the annual report.

After the survey was completed, a continuing placement plan was perfected. The school provides the MSES, at least 1 month in advance, a list of the trainees to graduate, with a brief summary of their qualifications and a statement of the locality in which they prefer to work. Through a specially devised

"available applicant" procedure, job opportunities are explored in those localities. Applications are taken by the local office nearest the school. Results thus far: Satisfactory placements almost immediately upon graduation. Teamwork with the school and with the individual students has been uniformly excellent.

A valuable byproduct of the perusal by employers of the courses of study and of the State-wide job opportunity survey has been the greatly increased acceptance of graduates, and wider and deeper acquaintance of employers with the school.

While expensive in man-hours, the project seems to have been profitable in the light of services rendered to the vocational trainees and to the employers who need their services.

LMIRA, New York, is a community of about

165,000 population. It is an industrial city with varied industries which manufacture, for the most part, heavy goods and producers' goods. The city has a cultural background, and here is located Elmira College, the oldest women's college in the United States.

In 1946, the newly elected president of the Rotary Club approached the manager of the local office of the USES, also a member of the Rotary Club, with the suggestion that the club sponsor a project for the employment of youth. The manager took this up immediately for the reason that the local office had never been able to do very much in the way of getting part-time employment for school boys and girls because of staff limitations. In any case, it had not taken applications from boys and girls under the age of 16, which is the minimum legal age for full-time employment in the State of New York. After some discussion, a cooperative plan was arrived at whereby the local office of the USES (now NYSES) would furnish the space, desk, telephone, forms, files, clerical and secretarial work, and such training as required, and the Rotary Club would provide a qualified paid worker to do the job.

Pre-launching Steps

Before launching the plan, it was discussed with the Superintendent of Schools, who felt that full cooperation of the schools would be in order. The plan was then submitted to officials of the Rotary Club and officials of the USES at the State level. Both organizations accepted the plan, and a qualified worker was appointed.

The worker was a mature woman, well known in the city. She was qualified for this type of work by education, training, and experience. She was a college graduate, had done a great deal of volunteer social work in the community, serving on boards of the Girl Scouts, the social settlement, Child and Family Welfare, YWCA, etc. Furthermore, she had been employed in two of the State's largest industries during the war, doing personnel work. The Rotary Club agreed to her employment on a part-time basis. Her hours were from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m., 5 days a week. She was given special training by the Employment Service training similar to that given to interviewers and counselors within the ES. Thus she was thoroughly familiar with our procedures, forms, general policies, and materials including PART IV of the DICTIONARY OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES.

At the start of the school year, in September 1946, the president of the Rotary Club appointed a sponsoring committee for the project. Included in the membership were the school principals and a number of leading industrialists and businessmen who are employers.

The worker first set about arranging for full cooperation with the various high schools. Referrals were made through the student advisors of the high schools. It was agreed that no students would be referred to part-time employment without the concurrence of the school advisors. Arrangements were made with the Board of Education for expeditious issuance of work permits. Publicity articles then appeared in the press, and high school students, 14 years of age and over, were invited to register with the Employment Service for part-time jobs. During the year, the worker made regular visits to employers, the project grew rapidly, and was favorably accepted by the community.

Results Gratifying

At the end of the school year in June 1947, the record showed 563 students registered during the year from 29 different schools in the area. During the school year, 395 placements were tallied. It was determined that many of the temporary placements had become regular part-time jobs. Furthermore, the placement figures do not give a complete picture since in many cases, repeat calls for sitters and yard workers were made direct from employer to applicant.

Both the New York State Employment Service and the Rotary Club felt that the project was highly successful, and both organizations wished to have it continued. A new administration of the Rotary Club, taking office in July 1947, approved continuation of the project. The worker for the first year had resigned to become Director of Placement at Elmira College, but a new worker was found with appropriate qualifications. She had been a newspaper woman for a number of years and manager of the advertising department of a daily, where she became very familiar with the needs of business in general. Also, as a citizen of the community, she had served on the boards of various organizations, including the Girl Scouts, the YWCA, and others. The Employment Service repeated the special training for the new worker.

During the second year, it was easier to launch the project. The schools, familiar with the procedures, were ready to cooperate. The good repute established among employers during the first year was (Continued on page 27)

HE ES field visitor having accomplished the purpose of his visit was about to leave. The employer, however, seemed reluctant to end the visit. He returned to his employment problems, the most serious of which was the inability to get qualified and dependable office help. This is how he put it: "Sure, I have all of my jobs filled today, but with what kind of workers? For the most part, with girls who have had a smattering of business training. Attracted by good salaries they quit school before finishing their business course. If the first job demanded too much of them they could shop around. The business world was full of good opportunities."

Then he added: "Why don't you Employment Service people get next to the schools and tell those kids our angle of this employment problem? Why don't you make them understand that job-shopping may be good today, but when the labor situation changes and we have a dozen girls waiting in the reception room for each one of our openings, the partiallyqualified workers, who are usually inefficient, are going to have to exchange places with those who are fully-trained and prepared to take their jobs seriously."

It so happened that the counselor in the local office was scheduled to speak to the senior class of the high school on the following day. The field visitor at once relayed the employer's statements to the counselor and

Courtesy National Education Association

A choice smile when the job choice is right.

the employer's angle became a part of her discussion. An isolated instance? No, in less direct ways many employers are pointing up this problem to ES personnel. Is the challenge being met in your area by planned cooperation with schools and other community agencies, and by realistic employment counseling in your offices when out-of-school youth bring their problems to you?

Miracles are not accomplished over night, but surely no organization is better equipped than is the ES for these tasks: To analyze what industry expects of the young entrant into the labor market; to cooperate with schools in developing their guidance programs; and to assist the school and out-of-school youth in planning a satisfactory and stabilized vocational future as a long-range program.

Professional personnel in the ES have not yet given proper recognition to the invaluable occupational aids that are at hand; too often job descriptions, occupational guides, aptitude tests, and labor market information publications become just so much more file material. If youth is to be adequately served, an awareness of the value of these materials and an appreciation of their usefulness must be developed.

Consider for a moment some examples which may illustrate the above statements. Recently an ES representative was invited to speak to a group of Hi-Y boys by the local YMCA Boys' Director. After a 20

minute discussion of factors to consider in selecting a field of work and local job opportunities, the meeting was opened to questions and answers. The ES representative had planned to spend approximately a half hour with the group; instead he spent 221⁄2 hours. A considerable supply of various occupational information materials had been brought to the meeting. The young men were invited to examine them. Some selected job descriptions of professional occupations in which they were interested; some divided their attention and scanned all the materials; and some spent the time in asking pertinent and amazingly penetrating questions of the ES representative. It was obvious that making occupational information available to young people is a definite responsibility of the ES.

Last summer an ES representative was invited by the State Department of Public Instruction to appear before and participate in a State-wide conference of school administrators and guidance teachers. A rather brief explanation of the ES counseling program resulted in considerable questioning concerning the assistance that school people can get from the ES. There was a frank admission that the vocational guidance field was one of the least explored in the school guidance program. School administrators appear eager to avail themselves of the assistance the ES can give them in this field which is vital to every community.

During the past year, ES personnel have been invited to appear before high school student groups to discuss such topics as: What to Consider in Making a Vocational Choice; How to Apply for a Job; What are the Local and State Job Opportunities?

A local office counselor and a member of the State staff will participate at the request of the Dean of Women in the "Careers-Day" program of one of the colleges in the State. ES representatives have been invited by the State Department of Public Instruction to take part in a State guidance conference. The conference is planned on a workshop basis and the ES representative will serve with the group assigned to employment counseling.

We feel these activities are merely the beginning of a community participation program in which the ES stands as an advisor, an assistant, and a source of information. Can we in the ES, possessed of the knowledge, techniques, and tools that are essential, shirk this responsibility or close our eyes to it because it means extra effort and sometimes an encroachment upon our limited time? Not if we consider that our very future existence depends upon the young people who will be the applicants, employers, and legislators of tomorrow. Not if we are to fulfill our professional responsibility of service.

Part-time Jobs for In-school Youth

(Continued from page 25)

paying off. Orders came in regularly. Moreover, we have been widening the scope of the activity both as to employers and applicants served. Feature articles in

the newspapers on the project have brought a good response both from applicants and employers. We have also described the project on local radio

programs.

During this second year of operation, we have felt it would be interesting to record the amount of earnings of the applicants. This would give the Rotary Club a measure of the value of the project in view of its investment. It is also interesting to note the additional money made available to young people for use in the community. Here is the record:"

During the first 5 months of the school year 1947-48, there were 760 student interviews; 194 placements; earnings amounting to $7,450.51. The students came from 20 different schools in the area, including Elmira College.

An idea of the type of the jobs filled can be gleaned from the following tabulation. Remember, these are all part-time jobs being filled by boys and girls who are attending school.

The New York State Employment Service is very pleased with this project. Located in our office and using our telephone, it helps to publicize our service to the community. The Rotary Youth Employment Service found itself receiving some inappropriate orders, and naturally turned them over to the Employment Service. Likewise, the Employment Service, unable to find a qualified applicant for an order, may suggest the Rotary Youth Employment Service to the employer, with good results. Through this arrangement, we feel that many of the best students in the local schools have a chance to make the acquaintance of the local office. Thus when they graduate, it will be quite natural for them to apply through us for fulltime employment.

The project cannot fail to increase the quality of our applicant file, and the closeness of our cooperation with the Rotary Club in the project, in itself, helps the prestige and standing of the local office. A job is being done for employers and they appreciate it; certainly the same can be said of the youth.