Apprentices

[cr0ft]

Hi folks.

I am wondering if I am being too tough on my apprentice. It's tricky for me as I've had 4 apprentices before him, all of whom I have got rid of within a week.

The current one has been with me for 3 months now and here is what he managed to do today: -

1st fix a WC.
1st fix waste pipe for a wall-hung basin.
Install boxing framework to box in soil stack and AAV.

Yesterday he: -

Tanked a large shower area with matting.
Connected up a basin and bath waste from where it came out of the cavity wall to the soil stack.
Helped me fit a couple of extractor fans and had a shot at core drilling them, failed miserably due to nerves working at height I think.

His work is good with only minor mistakes and it's very rare for him to have a leak.

How does this compare with what apprentices you have are doing around the 3 month point into their job? It's very difficult judging how fast/good someone should be when you don't have anyone to benchmark them against!

I figure he is worth £2.80 per hour at the moment as he is around 1/4 - 1/3 the speed of an experienced plumber.

 

[mfgs]

He doesn't sound too bad, with an apprentice you really have t expect to write off 6 months to a year before they can really be trusted and are of any real use. As long as the work is done well, to a decent standard and no leaks then the speed will come with time.

 

[Killy Bing]

I was useless at three months.....

 

[TBServices]

Sounds good enough to me pal.

 

[SimonG]

I was useless at three months.....

I cant remember 3 months, but I think my tea was drinkable by then 🙂

Sounds as though youve managed to find a half decent one.

 

[Barry98]

I'd be happy if I had him at that stage after 3 months

 

[JAH HEATING]

Take him on the ale Friday an the lappies I say

 

[Kev the gas]

Sounds like the lad has promise if he can make up some framework without too much help.

Having the balls to hang off a ladder whilst core drilling takes time to master, or you are born stupid :dizzy2:.

Give the lad time and hopefully he will come good, remember tho he is watching you and learning so any bad habits you have and get away with, he probably wont.

 

[Killy Bing]

Praise when he does something well, encourage him when he's feeling down.

buy if the neccesery books and loan them to him and every so often give him abit in them to learn

also he's is having to deal with both electrics and pluming? Allow for that

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Hi folks.

I am wondering if I am being too tough on my apprentice. It's tricky for me as I've had 4 apprentices before him, all of whom I have got rid of within a week.

The current one has been with me for 3 months now and here is what he managed to do today: -

1st fix a WC.
1st fix waste pipe for a wall-hung basin.
Install boxing framework to box in soil stack and AAV.

Yesterday he: -

Tanked a large shower area with matting.
Connected up a basin and bath waste from where it came out of the cavity wall to the soil stack.
Helped me fit a couple of extractor fans and had a shot at core drilling them, failed miserably due to nerves working at height I think.

His work is good with only minor mistakes and it's very rare for him to have a leak.

How does this compare with what apprentices you have are doing around the 3 month point into their job? It's very difficult judging how fast/good someone should be when you don't have anyone to benchmark them against!

I figure he is worth £2.80 per hour at the moment as he is around 1/4 - 1/3 the speed of an experienced plumber.

Swap you :lol:

 

[Rickster123]

£2.80 an hour... Ouch!

 

[Koogatubac]

Your price is low i would say, if hes doing what hes doing after 3 months and he knows he can make more money, he'll start changing for the worse.

I was useless aswell at 3 months. Also i wouldnt trust a apprentice with ANYTHING after a year of being with me. Had apprentices before just like you have and from experience they need to be shown a few times the same thing over again so it sticks in their head

You sound like you've got a gem! Treat him well!

 

[tamz]

Current rate for a 1st year apprentice is £5.61 plus their pension contributions of 7%

 

[Koogatubac]

When i was doing proper graft as a apprentice (i.e. A boiler a day) i was on £230 a week.

When i got my nvq 2 as a qualified plumber i got pay rise to £350. However i was expected to be fast and able to produce work

 

[tamz]

Scottish rate is £3.28

 

[cr0ft]

Your price is low i would say, if hes doing what hes doing after 3 months and he knows he can make more money, he'll start changing for the worse.

I was useless aswell at 3 months. Also i wouldnt trust a apprentice with ANYTHING after a year of being with me. Had apprentices before just like you have and from experience they need to be shown a few times the same thing over again so it sticks in their head

You sound like you've got a gem! Treat him well!

Cheers. We have a 3 year plan where he is (if all goes well) going to take over my first franchise of my business and we will start another one over in Sheffield.

I think he is pretty good to be honest, I just don't have anything to compare him against. He can be relied upon to get jobs done to a good standard, just the speed is slow but then it's only 3 months in!

My only worry really is that next year because of his age he will be on minimum wage. To make that work he really needs to be able to do his own small jobs by then. That's the first target for him!

 

[Ermintrude]

Just wait until he gets the nearly qualified attitude . Once he's alsomost qualified his attitude may become selfish and lazy as he is on home stretch and thinks is invincible. Kick his legs from under him before he quits burning all bridges and then two weeks later comes back. Once you leave your gone.

 

[cr0ft]

National minimum wage 2013/2014: Adult rate to increase by 1.9% to £6.31 per hour | XpertHR - Pay Intelligence

Minimum wages, including apprenticeship rates. £2.65/hour is currently the minimum wage for year 1 apprentices.

 

[Koogatubac]

Cheers. We have a 3 year plan where he is (if all goes well) going to take over my first franchise of my business and we will start another one over in Sheffield.

I think he is pretty good to be honest, I just don't have anything to compare him against. He can be relied upon to get jobs done to a good standard, just the speed is slow but then it's only 3 months in!

My only worry really is that next year because of his age he will be on minimum wage. To make that work he really needs to be able to do his own small jobs by then. That's the first target for him!

Totally agree, different people like to mould apprentices their way. I prefer the strict ways, just because thats where i learnt and stuff started sticking in my head.

Erm's comment is absolute spot on! What he said it always happens! Especially if your giving him a massive responsibility of your franchise, but then again, its all up to you croft 🙂

 

[Koogatubac]

Just be honest with him, how you described what hes been doing, when his wage goes up he shouldn't have a problem doing small jobs, repairs, maintenance.