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Training facilities
The greatest problem that we have had to face is that of training. I have no doubt that the works managers were puzzled; they did not know what was really required of them and accordingly were inclined to measure their labor requirements by the manufacturing orders that were issued to them at a particular moment from the Supply Departments. They were not in a position to know or to make any estimate of the anticipated demands of the Government, and suddenly they not only had to meet greater demands than were expected, but they had to make good the loss of the equipment of the British Expeditionary Force—and to do this at a moment when the enemy was intensifying his air attack and when, in addition, difficulties had arisen due to the collapse of France. All this called for not only increased production but considerable readaptation. The Ministry was compelled rapidly to extend and develop the Government Training Centers. I have recently caused inquiries to be made into the working of these Training Centers by experts and, having regard to the types of workpeople we have had to train, I am more than gratified by the report of the success that has been achieved. It is interesting to note the trades and callings from which the types that we have had to convert into precision workers were drawn. In one Center—just taken at random—the report showed that persons being trained at that moment had transferred from over thirty distinct occupations: some were men from other craft trades, others had been artists, barristers, shop assistants, pawnbrokers and directors.
We shortened the period of training from six months to four, and in many cases where people have shown adaptability this period has been shortened even further. I have met some criticism of these Training Centers—most of it has been ill-informed and from people who have never visited them. But one must be guided by results, and the workpeople we have passed into industry have shown a very high percentage of success. We also decided to utilize every available place in the technical colleges. We have also taken over from the London County Council the Beaufoy Institute, which specializes in the training of women, and as soon as the complete scheme is in operation and we have the full equipment of machine tools, it will not be long before we shall be passing out for munitions production approximately 250,000 to 300,000 trainees a year from the Government Training Centers.
We have also eaten into the hard core of unemployment by means of training and transfer—not to the extent I would like, but it has been demonstrated that no human being is hopeless unless he is physically incapable. I am anxious to distribute those who are capable among the works of the country so as to get rid of this problem once and for all, and then the State must take steps to prevent it recurring.
The greatest facilities for training are, of course, at the works. If a person is not working in actual production there is bound to be a lag between the time he passes from the Training Center to the works and the time when the speed of production is made good. That we acknowledge, and therefore the more training that can be dovetailed into the actual workshop, the more quickly shall we be able to carry out the expanding program which is so essential to equip our Armies. I am indebted to many works managers and firms for the response they have made to our appeal. We are particularly interested in the variety of the forms of training that are going on. In some cases experiments have been carried out by double banking. Others thought that this method was not so good as the separate training facilities: I think it largely depends upon the enthusiasm of the person who is running it. I have laid it down that there must be no rigidity: that experimentation, trial and error and flexibility must be the keynote; and then, too, the problem is affected by what you are training for—the form of production, and so on. All I ask is that the works managements will do all in their power to have such a volume of trained labor that our expanding program at no point will be held up.
Incorporating non-British workers
Country after country has been mown down by Hitler, and many of their workpeople, technicians, craftsmen and men of their Mercantile Marine are in this country, and the Government decided to establish an International Labor Force. You have already read of the results of General de Gaulle's activities, of the exploits of the Polish airmen, the Czech airmen, the Norwegian seamen and our Dutch and Belgian friends. These people are fighting and giving their lives in the defense of the great cause; they are not refugees or aliens, they are our equals, and we cannot leave unused their ability, skill and energy. Would Hitler have left them unused in his country had they remained there and not fought against him? He would have used every possible device to exploit their skill. In this Force we have already registered a large number of these international friends. They include chemical, electrical, aeronautical, mechanical, mining and other engineers, industrial chemists and industrial research workers. There is also a number of craftsmen and people with experience of particular trades and we want to see their services utilized in such a way that they are in fact making their contribution towards the equipment of their own Forces as well as to the common pool.
It should be clear that this Department only deals with people whom the Ministry of Home Security has certified as being all right. So far as the Government is concerned, our policy has been, from the point of view of social services and other State action, to treat them as equals with ourselves. They have their own Government or National Committees, as the case may be, and we have their good will and cooperation. We want them to feel that all those who are taking arms against Hitler or who have escaped from his clutches and are willing to resist him are members of a great community fighting back to establish freedom, and I want their people who are also resisting in their own countries to feel that they have not put their faith in international liberty and equality in vain.