day.
A combination of these methods is frequently used. During dull periods
the workers may be busy from a few hours a week to full working time;
while in rush periods they may work not only the regular working
hours, but in addition a good deal of over-time.

Compared with other manufacturing industries as regards regularity of
employment men's clothing makes an excellent showing while women's
clothing ranks low. In Diagram 10 the average number of unemployed
among each 100 workers is shown for men's and women's clothing and for
15 other large manufacturing industries in the city. Men's clothing
leads the list, with an average unemployment of four among each 100
workers, while women's clothing ranks 14th, with 15 among each 100.

TRAINING AND PROMOTION

Designers learn their work through apprenticeships to custom tailors
and cutters and by taking supplementary courses in drafting and
grading of patterns in a designing school. Most designers in
Cleveland have had training in designing schools in New York or
Chicago.

[Illustration: Diagram 10.--The black portions of the bars show the
average number of unemployed among each 100 workers in men's clothing,
women's clothing and 15 other specified industries]

With but few exceptions organized training for machine operating is
found only in the largest establishments. There is general agreement
among employers that it takes a girl who has never operated a machine
before about four weeks to learn an easy operation well enough to be
taken on at regular piece rates. A much longer time is required to
become a first class worker on a single operation, and to acquire
skill in a group of operations takes from one to two years.

Girls are not usually employed as hand sewers unless they know how to
do plain sewing. A girl who starts with this knowledge should be able
to learn factory sewing well enough to earn fair wages within from six
months to a year.

In cutting, which has a so-called apprenticeship lasting from two to
six years, there is no formal system of instruction. Boys must pick up
the trade from observation and practice. Beginners start as errand
boys, cloth boys, bundlers, or helpers.

Pressing is usually learned in cleaning and pressing shops. It takes
about eight weeks for a green hand to become a good seam presser. To
become a final presser on skirts and dresses requires from six months
to a year, and on jackets and cloaks from two to three years.

Exam