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Is opening the door to education as simple as opening a book? Photo / Nick Reed, File
I have been teaching reading and writing to New Zealand school children for 22 years. It is not rocket science. The successful formula is very simple –
Hire learning
Having worked for over 60 years, and still employed part-time, I find myself having the leisure to investigate a bit and reflect on my own experience of hiring and being hired, and find that in one aspect nothing has changed.
Employers generally don’t want the trouble and expense of training people. For years, managers resisted taking on apprentices while bemoaning a lack of trained staff.
Go online now and read the job adverts. Most jobs apparently require a range of skills, abilities and experience that I spent most of my working life acquiring. What few entry-level jobs or trainee jobs get advertised still require an artificially high list of attributes, all while offering minimum wage.
How about offering a paid work experience type module with a fixed period and a worthwhile training programme at the end? Sure, minimum wage at first, where applicable, but then a reasonable wage when the training starts. Most importantly, be genuine, not just getting cheap short-term labour.
This doesn’t just apply in the trade and industrial area. Teacher and nursing shortages would certainly also be alleviated.
Martin Cleland, Ruakaka.
Manufactured lacking
I was intrigued by Randel Case’s suggestion (Weekend Herald, August 20) that people should invest in local manufacturing, rather than residential property. That would be a great idea if it wasn’t for the chronic lack of skills and knowledge required to run a successful, competitive, innovative manufacturing company in NZ.
Successive governments haven’t exactly supported local manufacturing and have happily seen companies close their doors, whilst encouraging cheap products in from China.
When a major tertiary institution drops all manufacturing-related subjects, from what was a very successful and long-running technology course, then changes it to a design course, we no longer produce students with even the most basic knowledge of the skills required in that industry.
Does any tertiary institution teach accurate production planning? Workplace engineering? Measured incentive schemes?
Ray Green, Birkenhead.
Helping hands
My Americano is often accompanied by my partner’s observations of poor hygiene practices at cafes; uncovered muffins on countertops with customers breathing over them (sometimes coughing), and knives and forks in open containers on tables handled by bored children and adults; we’ve seen staff holding these utensils by their tips.
My partner notices baristas rubbing their noses, and scratching their hair, faces, and ears before grabbing the rim of our coffee cups. Fingers stuck like tentacles to the tops (yes, where our mouths will fasten), get delivered proudly to our tables. Strangely, our coffee never tastes as good when it’s delivered with someone else’s fingerprints.
Today, at the airport, we saw a barista use their fingers to clasp the top of a straw before plonking it into a smoothie, then they used their finger to tap the top of the straw firmly down (yes, the part of the straw their customer will drink from).
There has been a lot of publicity about the importance of mask-wearing, yet good hand-hygiene practices seem to go unnoticed. Surely this is a time when hand hygiene is important?
Tess Moeke-Maxwell, Rotorua.
Ka pai, Mary
The only part of the Business section of the “Herald” that I always read is Mary Holm’s column, mainly for their human interest and the sensible and compassionate advice she offers. I was very sad to see (Weekend Herald, August 20) an attack on her from a reader who objected strongly and rather rudely to her use of two Māori words in a recent column. Congratulations to her, both on her polite response and her use of te reo Māori. Kia kaha, Mary. A pity some people (who call themselves Kiwis) can’t cope with the fact that the world is changing. Better to try to catch up with it.
J A Mills, Whangārei.
Mind your language
In reply to the somewhat vitriolic letter to Mary Holm (Weekend Herald, August 20), you have to wonder what type of New Zealander would have this kind of attitude to our second language; the third being sign language, of course. I do hope they don’t watch the weather forecasts on TV, you could get all kinds of offended.
Maybe it’s time to consider moving to a place where the indigenous language is seldom used. Australia, America, or even Canada. Oh, wait.
Susan Wilson, Surfdale.
Predator control
Auckland Council carries out possum and rat control over the Hunua ranges.
The previous control took place in 2018 when the rats were knocked down to zero per cent. By the following season, the rat numbers were up to 79.5 per cent, way above the safety limit. Anything above 20 per cent and the native species that rat control is supposed to protect are going to be in decline.
For the seasons 2019, 2020 and 2021 with rat numbers over 70 per cent, Auckland Council did nothing to protect its valuable native species. Why not? Because the Hunua area has been designated a four-yearly control area. There are numerous such areas in the Waikato conservancy where pest control can only take place once every four years. Three out of the four-year cycle, the pests are allowed to go wild.
It’s an interesting “‘protection” system but not one likely to take us any closer to “predator-free”.
John Veysey, Coromandel.
Party on, PM
There has been much written about the party antics of the Finnish Prime Minister, Sanna Marin.
The implication, dare I say obsession, is that her behaviour is not befitting that of a leader of an important Western democracy. What a shallow analysis.
How incredible that a prime minister is able to lead a democracy of five and a half million people, stand firmly against the machinations of her close aggressive neighbour, raise a child, all whilst retaining the ability to enjoy the normal behaviour of a young woman, to retain a sense of fun and to show genuine emotions.
It should be celebrated.
Simon Damerell, Ponsonby.
Why is our Government rewarding Ireland with the appointment as ambassador of Trevor Mallard – one of our finest – after they beat us so easily in our national game of rugby? Something doesn’t add up. Ted Partridge, Māngere.
Having a wee bit of Irish ancestry, I can admit that, if the Irish can’t find anyone else to fight, they’ll fight amongst themselves. Mallard should fit in well. Peter Patten, Albany.
Frank Olsson (WH, Aug. 20) is concerned we might try to “hold China back”. I think it more useful to accept China is a ruthless totalitarian state, intent upon pursuing its militarist imperial ambitions across the Asia-Pacific. Stewart Hawkins, St Heliers.
Mary Holm deserves a block of Whittaker’s Miraka Kirīmi chocolate for her response to criticism for using te reo in her column. Denise de Groot, Browns Bay.
I read Mary Holm for her financial service, and don’t expect to have cultural counselling. James Gregory, Parnell.
MP Dr Gaurav Sharma is fortunate he has à much-needed profession waiting for him after his time spent striving to become a politician. Pat Magill, Napier.
The real reason the Prime Minister will not hold a by-election in Hamilton East for Gaurav Sharma is it will be a shocking result for Labour. Tom Reynolds, St Heliers.
The Sharma problem seems to have arisen when he arrived in Parliament and found out he was just another back-bencher and not a “special” member. Rex Fausett, Auckland Central.
Garry Hollis (WH, Aug. 20) suggests most councils or councillors “would struggle to run a bath”. As would many, most houses and apartments these days come with a shower but no bathtub. Peter Clapshaw, Remuera.
To find out why New Zealand is so unproductive, all one needs to do is park across the road from any building site, or observe a major road works exercise. After 15 minutes, you are likely to be furious or asleep. Murray Reid, Cambridge.
Many now advocate zero tax on the first $20,000 of income. The first political party to announce this as a policy will significantly improve their prospects in the next election. Chris Elias, Mission Bay,
There’s a great line in the 1994 movie The Hunt For Red October: ” Look I’m a politician which means I’m a cheat and a liar and when I’m not kissing babies I’m stealing their lollipops.” Graeme Smith, Rotorua.
Has Waka Kohati decided that if you can’t fit all four wheels into it, it doesn’t classify it as a pothole? Mike Brooke, New Plymouth.
It isn’t the perfectly pronounced te reo on the TV news that grates, so much as the persistently mangled and strangulated English. Mike Wagg, Freemans Bay.
Interesting to see some churches participating in society by taking the Government to court over restrictions during the red light phase of Covid. I wonder if they are equally keen to participate further in society by paying taxes? Alan Johnson, Papatoetoe.
This Government’s answer to ram raids is “bicycles”. David Jones, Parnell.
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