Those of you with apprentices

[TFGplumbing]

I have had an apprentice for 3 months now. He is doing ok, and just ok. I have put a lot of time in to teaching him etc but at the moment the only real thing he is good for is tidying up and getting the tools. Last night I get a text message at 9.30 which reads "Alright mate have just been thinking, iv been with you a while now and I think I have progressed a lot in that time so id like to suggest a raise in wages please mate. Lemme know what you think"

He is on £3.30 an hour, so above the minimum wage for a first year apprentice, but he certainly doesn't earn me any more than I pay him in a week. To be honest the cheek of asking has really wound me up. He has been far from the model employee to date and I have given him possibly more chances than I should have done. Examples of this are taking breaks for cigarettes when it has been made clear that the only time for smoking is lunch time, after doing any small amount of physical work I have caught him just sitting around having a break or walking off to the shop, not being ready when I pick him up from his house in the mornings. I am now thinking about getting rid of him if this is a sign of things to come. I never once asked for a pay rise while I was an apprentice, I was happy for the opportunity to be taught the trade I wanted to do.

Anyone had a similar experience and how did you deal with it?

****... kids these days... send him up a loft full of rock wool; too saw a cistern in half because it wont fit through the hatch and give him some nice knuckle grazing jobs - he'll probably do one.

When I'am ready to get an apprentice - I'am going to college to hand pick an nice free range, intelligent, grafter!

 

[Toxic Ted]

They're not like bl00dy chickens ........you cant just wander in and pick the one you fancy!

 

[rpm]

They're not like bl00dy chickens ........you cant just wander in and pick the one you fancy!

Shame though,

 

[TFGplumbing]

They're not like bl00dy chickens ........you cant just wander in and pick the one you fancy!

Why not? haha I could spot the dud's straight away. I want bright eyed & bushy tailed! Free range organic

 

[Ray Stafford]

They're not like bl00dy chickens ........you cant just wander in and pick the one you fancy!

I rather suspect that you can.

If you rang your local college and told them that you had a vacancy for an apprentice, they would roll out the red carpet, and line up the "stock" for inspection.

If you are going to put yourself to the trouble of having an apprentice, I reckon its worth putting yourself to the trouble of thinking about how to select them. I hear loads of stories about "I took on my sisters lad as an apprentice, but it didn't work out..." I'm not surprised. If you ran a competitive process to hire an apprentice in a town of middling size, the chances are that you will get 20 candidates better than your nephew.

Hiring is a business process, and should be treated as such. I bet most people put more effort into researching their next core drill than their next apprentice, and then squinny when it doesnt work out!

 

[chris watkins]

interesting read. im thinking of taking a apprentice on! Not sure what to do now to be honest! I was thinking of going after a mature lad that wants to re-train!

Please don't, go for a 18/19 year old.
What are the youngsters suppose to do with their lives until someone like you will give them a start!!!!!

 

[mfgs]

Just thought I would update this. Clearly my little chat with him didn't work. I made it very clear to him every morning I pick him up, he is to be waiting outside for me so I don't have to hang about and wait for him like I have been. The morning after our chat I pull up and he isn't there, his mum came out and apologised saying he had just woken up and basically begged me to give him another chance. So I did, I waited for him and gave him another talking to.

Then on the Thursday he was ready and waiting, good attitude etc. Thought I may have made a breakthrough. Friday comes and we are on site decommissioning and old heating system and rigging up temporary water and toilets etc. He decides to sneak off for a cigarette which he has been told numerous times is not allowed other than at lunch. Then yesterday he wasn't ready and waiting outside, I hung around for 5 mins and drove off. I got a phone call from him with him practically blaming me for not waiting for long enough as he was ready but just didn't see me as apparently he was only opening the curtains once every ten minutes to have a look!!! Safe to say, he no longer has a job and I am actively looking for a new apprentice.

 

[rpm]

There is only so much a man can do and if the kid can`t be on time and follow rules then the Red card it is.

 

[PlumbersMate]

Just thought I would update this. Clearly my little chat with him didn't work. I made it very clear to him every morning I pick him up, he is to be waiting outside for me so I don't have to hang about and wait for him like I have been. The morning after our chat I pull up and he isn't there, his mum came out and apologised saying he had just woken up and basically begged me to give him another chance. So I did, I waited for him and gave him another talking to.

Then on the Thursday he was ready and waiting, good attitude etc. Thought I may have made a breakthrough. Friday comes and we are on site decommissioning and old heating system and rigging up temporary water and toilets etc. He decides to sneak off for a cigarette which he has been told numerous times is not allowed other than at lunch. Then yesterday he wasn't ready and waiting outside, I hung around for 5 mins and drove off. I got a phone call from him with him practically blaming me for not waiting for long enough as he was ready but just didn't see me as apparently he was only opening the curtains once every ten minutes to have a look!!! Safe to say, he no longer has a job and I am actively looking for a new apprentice.

Stinking attitude

 

[brum]

My previous employer took on this apprentice without conferring with me said apprentice stayed in same village as me he was worse than a chocolate fireguard that was the beginning of the end im now self employed..brum

 

[rpm]

My previous employer took on this apprentice without conferring with me said apprentice stayed in same village as me he was worse than a chocolate fireguard that was the beginning of the end im now self employed..brum

I had that done to me once brum, the factory was not easy to get via public transport and my boss took a guy on THEN approached me about giving him a lift in to work saying "You both live in the same town so...." Man I was mad about it and told him so.

 

[Rickster123]

Just thought I would update this. Clearly my little chat with him didn't work. I made it very clear to him every morning I pick him up, he is to be waiting outside for me so I don't have to hang about and wait for him like I have been. The morning after our chat I pull up and he isn't there, his mum came out and apologised saying he had just woken up and basically begged me to give him another chance. So I did, I waited for him and gave him another talking to.

Then on the Thursday he was ready and waiting, good attitude etc. Thought I may have made a breakthrough. Friday comes and we are on site decommissioning and old heating system and rigging up temporary water and toilets etc. He decides to sneak off for a cigarette which he has been told numerous times is not allowed other than at lunch. Then yesterday he wasn't ready and waiting outside, I hung around for 5 mins and drove off. I got a phone call from him with him practically blaming me for not waiting for long enough as he was ready but just didn't see me as apparently he was only opening the curtains once every ten minutes to have a look!!! Safe to say, he no longer has a job and I am actively looking for a new apprentice.

Dont give up on apprentices all together. Some are great, hard working, reliable, decent. It's a shame you've been let down but it's his loss really. Good luck in the search.

 

[mfgs]

Dont give up on apprentices all together. Some are great, hard working, reliable, decent. It's a shame you've been let down but it's his loss really. Good luck in the search.

I am not giving up. I have my local college sending me over the CV's of all the people they have on there books who need an apprenticeship. I will look to interview a few selected ones by the end of the week and will hopefully have one on trial by next week if all goes to plan. Or if any of them seem up to scratch.

 

[tomplumb83]

Most apprentices will learn the job given time. Some will take longer than others. Some will take a lot longer than others.
Providing he turns up on time, does as he's told and pays attention you can't really asks any more.
I started my apprenticeship in about 2000. The council lads were on about £55 pw. I was one of two that were the highest paid, £75 pw.

mfgs - It sounds like you've had a lucky escape with your apprentice.
The bloke who I started work would never have picked me up let alone wait for me.
Plenty looking for work. I don't think any should be asking for a pay rise until they've finished their level 2. Not at £3.30 an hour anyway.
* Top Tip - Don't employ a smoker. Or a thief....

 

[Rickster123]

Most apprentices will learn the job given time. Some will take longer than others. Some will take a lot longer than others.
Providing he turns up on time, does as he's told and pays attention you can't really asks any more.
I started my apprenticeship in about 2000. The council lads were on about £55 pw. I was one of two that were the highest paid, £75 pw.

mfgs - It sounds like you've had a lucky escape with your apprentice.
The bloke who I started work would never have picked me up let alone wait for me.
Plenty looking for work. I don't think any should be asking for a pay rise until they've finished their level 2. Not at £3.30 an hour anyway.
* Top Tip - Don't employ a smoker. Or a thief....

A smoker or a thief?! The two deadly sins!

 

[tomplumb83]

Haha Rights for smokers

 

[tomplumb83]

What 17 yo smokes anyway?!

 

[rpm]

A smoker or a thief?! The two deadly sins!

I`m sure there`s a film title in there somewhere :tounge_smile:

 

[TFGplumbing]

pretty sure smoking is a harmless pastime enjoyed by millions...

 

[Millsy 82]

This time don't pick them up in the mornings make them meet you at your office/home if they are not there by 8 then you will be gone and they will have to make there own way to site. It will give you a bit more extra time in the morning.

As for smoking, I am a smoker and I do smoke during the day but I don't just sit there and smoke I tend to sort things out like the back of the van at the same time, although you'd never notice half the time.

 

[R.Oak]

I dont smoke any more but if i had an apprentice i would probably allow him to smoke but to ask me beforehand. If there is time he can nip out for one, taking rubbish or finished with tools on his way, but if we're busy he can wait and smoke later. Cant get any more fair than that surely?

 

[mfgs]

Well my local college sent me over 6 CV's today so I will be looking over them this evening and arranging some interviews. One of them is a girl, not to sure how I would feel about employing a female apprentice.

 

[Masood]

Well my local college sent me over 6 CV's today so I will be looking over them this evening and arranging some interviews. One of them is a girl, not to sure how I would feel about employing a female apprentice.

Mine is female. There are good and bad aspects to this.

 

[TFGplumbing]

Well my local college sent me over 6 CV's today so I will be looking over them this evening and arranging some interviews. One of them is a girl, not to sure how I would feel about employing a female apprentice.

My opinion on this is that she must really want to be a plumber and might be worth a go.

 

[rpm]

Isn`t there a company somewhere which is all girl / ladies plumbers? Sure I read somewhere that they are mega busy.

 

[Masood]

Isn`t there a company somewhere which is all girl / ladies plumbers? Sure I read somewhere that they are mega busy.

Yep. Called Stopcocks. I hate the idea of women-only or men-only firms.

 

[rpm]

I`ve got a customer who has her sani serviced and cleaned every year but if the company send anyone but me she refuses to let them in. Took 3 years to gain her trust before that hubby had to be there, dunno why as I`ve never asked but guess there is a reason. Reckon more companies should give the girls a start myself.

 

[mfgs]

Mine is female. There are good and bad aspects to this.

How is she finding it? I am just worried the physical aspect of the job may be to hard for an 18 year old girl.

 

[TBServices]

Mine is female. There are good and bad aspects to this.

I can think of one aspect that would be both good and bad at the same time. Potentially lol

 

[tomplumb83]

If you were sleeping with the female apprentice, this would make things easier as she'd never be late for work. Just a thought...

TB - I can think of more than one!

 

[TBServices]

It'd be a problem if you had a missus at home and you spent half the time on the job staring at a tight little bum or having an incapacitating stonker

 

[R.Oak]

I would have no problem with hiring a female apprentice, or any member of staff. Some customers would probably prefer a female tradesperson in their house.

 

[Masood]

How is she finding it? I am just worried the physical aspect of the job may be to hard for an 18 year old girl.

She tries hard and isn't scared to get stuck in but she physically can't lift boilers etc. But give credit where it's due, her response to that is to insist on carrying the toolboxes and so on so she can get stronger.

I can think of one aspect that would be both good and bad at the same time. Potentially lol

Oh mate, no. You'd never get any work done LOL...

It's been an eye opener to me. Having a girl apprentice breaks the ice with customers and instantly puts them at ease. However, they all want to chat to her about how lovely it is to see girls getting into trades, so I sometimes end up starting work as I don't want to be rude to the customer by dragging her away.

On the other hand there is one week a month where she is sulky, stroppy and a proper pain in the arris to try and teach....

 

[tomplumb83]

I would have no problem with hiring a female apprentice, or any member of staff. Some customers would probably prefer a female tradesperson in their house.

I know I would! And thats one of the problems. Leaving a young lady in a house with a pervy bloke

 

[TBServices]

Is she a hottie? Come on, we're all wondering