1966

First Telecommunications Service Officers Training Course

Administrative Telecommunications Agency, which was set up under D.O.T. February 1965 as a result of the Glassco commission report, last September sponsored its first training course for telecommunications service officers who will assist its rapidly expanding activities.

These officers since have taken up their responsibilities in advising government departments of their telecommunications needs and administering the consolidated telephone system in their respective areas. Mr. McDermott, A.T.A. commercial staff officer, is on contract loan from the Bell Telephone Company, where he specialized and instructed in intercity service.

The course included briefings on telecommunications by officers of other departments. Communications seminars also were held in Bell Telephone Company quarters in Toronto and Montreal. The class also learned much in visits to various switching centres operated by Bell, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways.

J. B. McDermott, who directed Administrative Telecommunications Agency's first telecommunications service officers course in Ottawa this fall, chats with his assistant, J. E. Baigrie, left, and class members, left to right, R. Kirk, Ottawa; H. Lawson, Toronto; R. Paquin, Montreal; L. Shearer, Winnipeg, and G. Morgan, Edmonton.