Historical information

Dr Michele Matthews has been a local and social historian for nearly three decades since she first used correspondence held by the then Bendigo City Council for her Honours thesis. She is an ardent advocate for the use of local history records to tell Victorian and Australian history from a grassroots perspective. Michele’s MA thesis, ‘A forgotten “Father” of Federation: Sir John Quick 1852‑1911’ (2003), and her PhD thesis, ‘Survivors, schemes, Samaritans and shareholders: the impact of the Great Depression on Bendigo and District 1925‑1935’ (2007), both drew heavily on Bendigo and district records.

Physical description

Michele Matthews Collection: PHD Research - vocational guidance and employment scheme

This item includes the following document:

8672.37a The document outlines a 1933 vocational guidance and employment scheme developed by the Bendigo Agricultural and Educational Bureau and the Vocational Guidance Committee to address youth unemployment. The committee estimated that around 700 boys under 21 were unemployed in Bendigo, with an initial focus on approximately 200 boys who had left school since January 1930. Rather than attempting to help everyone at once, the proposal recommended starting with a small group of 50–60 boys to test different employment and training schemes before expanding the program.

A major proposal was the establishment of a training school in mixed farming. The plan suggested using a nine-acre property near the Durham Ox Hotel where boys would receive practical agricultural training for a year before being placed on farms for further experience. The farm would include accommodation, poultry facilities, vegetable gardens, fodder crops, and livestock, while supervision would be provided by an experienced retired farmer or an agricultural college graduate. The scheme aimed to equip boys with practical farming skills while promoting self-sufficiency.

The committee also proposed placing boys directly into employment through partnerships with local businesses and industries. Around ten boys would initially be placed in shops, where they would receive proper training and wages that increased with experience. Similar efforts were planned to place boys on farms in northern districts with the support of the Agricultural Society. Additional vocational pathways included training as stationary engine drivers for the mining industry, scientific prospecting, forestry work, and assistance for boys wishing to establish poultry enterprises at home. These initiatives reflected an effort to match training opportunities with the region's major industries and labour demands.

Recognising that not all unemployed boys could immediately find work, the report also emphasised the importance of social and recreational activities. Churches, lodges, the Boy Scouts, the YMCA, and the Citizens' Military Forces were encouraged to organise activities that would keep unemployed boys engaged, maintain morale, and prevent idleness while employment opportunities were being developed. The committee also resolved to avoid publicity until its plans had been finalised.

The accompanying 1931–1932 report on vocational guidance highlighted the growing importance of vocational guidance cards, which recorded students' interests, abilities, and career preferences. These records were considered valuable for directing students into occupations suited to their skills rather than encouraging unrealistic aspirations for university or clerical work. The report argued that many secondary students were being prepared for careers with limited employment prospects and that vocational guidance could better align education with labour market needs.

The report also reviewed employment conditions across Bendigo and surrounding towns. While some smaller communities such as Eaglehawk and Inglewood experienced relatively little unemployment among recent school leavers, Bendigo itself faced significant difficulties, particularly for young people aged 16 to 20 who had completed technical or domestic arts schooling but struggled to find work. The report noted that vocational guidance alone could not solve the problem and emphasised the need for coordinated community action. It concluded by describing the formation of a joint Vocational Guidance Council and Agricultural and Educational Bureau, the appointment of a full-time welfare officer, and ongoing efforts to collect employment statistics and develop practical schemes to improve youth employment.