Alternatives for the Training of Skilled Industrial Labor in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Program of Studies in Non-Formal Education, Supplementary Series. Paper No. 1.

The study deals with the development of skilled industrial manpower in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and with the Federal government's SENAI (Service Nacional de Aprendizagem Industrial) industrial apprenticeship and trainign program. An analysis of six variables among lathe setter-operators showed that: present work situations among the operators varied greatly, especially regarding wages; present work situation controls (Physical conditions on the job, length of employment, entry level) also varied greatly; initial socioeconomic conditions were better for the operators than for the general population; formal educational level of the operators did not differ from that of the general labor force; the work experience of most operators was primarily industrial; and only 11.5 percent of the operators reached the skilled occupational level without some form of specialized industrial training. A linear regression model was used to determine the effect of the six variables on wage per hour, number and difficulty of operations performed, and time taken to reach the skilled occupational level. Since industrial training is required to reach the skilled occupational level and since private schools train many more persons than do SENAI schools, some types of private school training may provide acceptable alternatives to some types of SENAI training. (JR)