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ALLEGHENY 001-L.BGE L.IBRARY

here are a few examples of SuccESSFUL 4W EEK TRAINING PROGRAMS forpower sewing-machine operators
A community project in Hazleton, Pa., offers free·
training for power-sewing machine operators. A
majority of the students were women over 35, and
over three-fourths of the graduates were placed in
the local needle-trades industry. Trainees are selected
by the public Employment Service. The course is
given in a vacant school and taught by instructors
paid by the State Department of Public Instruction
on machines donated by the Hazleton Chamber of
Commerce and a local firm of machine distributors.

nurse aides
For several years, 33 city-operated hospitals in New
York have conducted a free training program for
nurse aides in order to insure better care for patients.
Many of the trainees are mature women. Information on a group of 100 trainees who were over 35
shows that 81 completed the course and were assigned
to regular jobs as nurse aides in hospitals.

waitresses or hostesses
The Board of Education in Washington, D. C., and
the local restaurant association operate a joint project
to supply needed workers and, at the same time, provide the training needed by mature women job seekers.
This free course trains women to be waitresses, hostesses, and cashiers. The majority of the trainees are
between 40 and 60, and almost all obtain jobs.

-·-

These and training programs in other fields, requiring
from a month to a year or a year and a half, are
among the 23 programs described in a Women's
Bureau report, "Training Mature Women for Employment." Included are projects to train women as
hotel housekeepers
clothing construction and alteration workers
beauty-service operators
assemblers or inspectors in electronics plants
practical nurses

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

RECENT STUDIES SHOW THAT-

what a COMMUNITY

can

~ui~'$S

do

W omen in their forties, fifties, and over can
learn new work skills.
Leaming a skill depends on individual ability,
regardless of age.
Learning good work habits and attitudes is as
important as learning how to do a particular
job.
Many middle-aged and older women who had
not been employed for many years were able to
learn a skill, get a job, do that job well, and so
fill a community need.

to

TRAIN

Mature Women
for

JOBS

Training programs are most successful when
geared completely to preparing students for a
job, when trainees are carefully selected, when
the classes are small, and when a considerable
amount of practical training or practice work
is included.
Mature women without recent work experience
need individualized counseling, training, and
placement services.
Resources to supply the special counseling,
training, and placement needs of mature women
job-seekers can be found in established community organizations which recognize these
needs and adapt their existing services to meet
them.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
James P. Mitchell, Secretary

A recent study made by the Women's Bureau of
23 training programs may be purchased from
the Superintendent of Documents, Government
Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. : Training
Mature Women for Employment (Women's
Bureau Bulletin 256). 1955. Price 25 cents.
U . S. GOVER N MENT PRINTING OFFICE : 195 4

For sale by
Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office
Washington 25, D. C.- Price 5 cents

WOMEN'S BUREAU

Mrs. Alice K. Leopold, Director

Leaflet 22

1955

WHERE TO START . . .

1£ you think a community program to train
mature women for employment is desirableyou may be interested in what individuals and
organizations in other communities have tried
successfully.
There are many ways of making a start-for
example, .by

Checking your local needs:
How many mature women in your community are
in need of learning marketable skills?
What does your local labor market offer now-and
in the near future- in way of jobs?

Exploring your resources:
Are there skill-development programs for adult
women in the following types of agencies?
public schools
private vocational and commercial schools
rehabilitation agencies
public and private welfare groups
Are class hours and teaching methods suitable to
the requirements of candidates?

Getting more information:
What is the experience of nearby towns or cities
with training projects of this kind?
What information can be obtained from citizens'
organizations, women's groups, business and professional societies about programs they are .
sponsoring?

HOW TO
CHECK - EXPLORE -


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

DISCOVER

In almost any town or city there are probably

Your local State employment office will help your
organization obtain information about the number of
mature women who are seeking jobs and need to
develop skills. They can also tell you something
about the kinds of skills that are marketable, and
where j oh opportunities and labor shortages exist.

Chambers of commerce, boards of trade, and
management associations often know where labor
shortages exist and where more trained workers are
needed. They can help to relate community training
programs to the needs of employers and women
workers.
Adult education groups and teachers know the
differences in learning problems between the young
and the mature student. They may be able to advise
about some of the technical details of training programs, and also may suggest ways and means of
setting up courses or classes.

a number of women past 35 who need paid
employment-but who have not been trained
for work outside the home, or who need their
skills (learned long ago) brought up to date.

I•

Many of these women can be trained and can
secure jobs if they are willing to learn, if the
community is willing to supply training, counseling, and placement facilities, and if employers are willing to hire competent workers
regardless of age.

If Yourtown ( or Anytown, U. S. A.) has
adult training opportunities,

mature women can become qualified, in a fairly
short time, to fill labor shortages in local
stores
hotels
hospitals
doctors' offices
factories
restaurants
beauty shops
private homes
institutions

Boards of education with vocational training programs will be interested in assisting if your organization can show a need for setting up new courses for
mature students or opening present courses to them.
Social welfare councils or community chest agencies and their special committees and study groups
on the needs of a population that is growing older
may have surveys, or information on resources for
training mature women for jobs.
You may find a new sponsor or an established
foundation willing to set up a pilot project for the
training of mature women in the kind of skills that
will best serve the interests of employers, the women
job-seekers, and the community.

If you want to help extend such training opportunities, or

If Yourtown is without training facilities for
adult women, and you want to help set them

up-READ MORE

Enlisting community cooperation:
Consult with members of your service club, civic
group, professional' society, employer or trade
organization, labor union, town council or board,
church group, or special committee for a related
public interest.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE . . .

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