Not sure whether I like my job.

[Charliewool]

Having 4 apprentices employed in my business, 3 of who I "inherited" from other companies where they were not happy, I think I can comment on this one.

The reasons these 3 guys gave for not being "happy" were mainly to do with the type of work assigned them and continually being used more as "lackeys" rather than being mentored in their trade skills. Workplace bullying was not mentioned. (and I believe that "apprentice torture" is a rarity now days)

There are so many businesses that see an apprentice as cheap labour to do all the repetitious mundane stuff and believe the responsibility of the kid learning skills lays squarely with his trade school one day each week. And that's wrong!

Ok, we get our apprentices to clean down the lathes or mills or sweep the machine-shop most Fridays, but the rest of the time they are actively involved in the jobs and projects that are the bread and butter of our business.
With the skills that they've acquired in-house, I'd expect by the time they're late 2nd yr, to be doing most machining tasks to basic tradesman standard.

What has to be realised is that these kids actually WANT to learn!
They haven't taken up an apprenticeship to "get rich quick"! If that was the case they'd be around P&O cold-stores driving a forklift for $28 per hr rather than the 8 or 9 bucks a 1st yr gets!
They've made this sacrifice to be EDUCATED in something they are interested in and want to be GOOD AT!
And most are like a sponge with this thirst for knowledge...
Continually stifle this thirst, and you'll end up with a disgruntled young man that rapidly loses enthusiasm.

My advice is basically what you've already done with regard to getting your field officer involved. We have had the same field consultant looking after our apprentices and liaising with our business for 4yrs now, and they DO have the kids interests as their priority.

It's easy to say HTFU... But if that young man is loosing (or already lost) his enthusiasm, than he'll never be a tradesman's ar sehole!

[bathurst77]

I wonder if he was told to go ask the boss for a long weight yet?

[05_ENFORCER]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

I wonder if he was told to go ask the boss for a long weight yet?

LMFAO
We should start another thread for this stuff.

[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by Laminge

... but you have just ended up being an old grumpy bugga, it has marked you for life.

Would you tell your son to htfu, I certainly wouldnt, in fact I would be more inclined to meet the boss and bestow the intended htfu as a stfu or else!

I would like to think that it hasn’t, although, many might say that it has. It certainly marked me for a lot of years. The people who I worked with in those early years were nothing short of animals. I don’t spend much time thinking about those days because when I do, I usually end up angry. Those people had power over me back then, but not now. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of knowing that they’ve affected me long term.

My father died when I was young, so I didn’t have anyone to go in and bat for me when it came to how I was treated. The truth is I probably wouldn’t have told him anyway. At the end of the day I was sixteen years old and didn’t know any better. I thought that all apprentices had to go through this. It wasn’t until later on I realised that this wasn’t the case.

They tried to break me but they couldn’t. The best revenge I had was being successful in what I chose to do and being happy. They no longer had power over me.

My foreman was one real angry mother. He was one of those Vietnam veterans who went through hell and probably didn’t get much of a de-brief when he returned. I caught up with him eight years ago when I took the truck that I was driving into the dealership to get a few warranty items fixed. I walked into his office and when he got off the phone, I just looked him in the eye and said “you don’t even know who I am” do you? Well he did and put his hand out and greeted me like I was one of his old army mates. I think that he was surprised how calm I was.

I look at my time as an apprentice as one great learning curve. It taught me a lot about human nature and prepared me for some bigger problems that were to come my way in life. I know that I’m a bit of a hard bast**d and have a short fuse, but one thing that I did learn is that there’s no way in Hell that I’d ever treat anyone’s son the way I was treated.

I do apologise for coming across a bit harsh in the earlier post. I do understand how constantly being put down can effect one’s self esteem but you just have to let some things go and be a little thick skinned. We don’t know why the foreman is yelling at him. There could be a perfectly good reason or he could just be a pr*ck who likes to make it hard for those working under him.

I know that I told Boss 290 to harden up, but you don’t just say that without giving the person the necessary tools or guidance to help with the situation. You don’t just say it and leave them in the cold.

Again, without sounding like the grumpy bugger that I am, I probably would tell my son to harden up but it’s all relative to the situation. I do my best to guide him but saying that to a kid in 2008 is a lot different to saying it in 1985.

Cheers

p.s. The offer is there if Boss 290 wants to chat about things.

[XR6_661]

I haven't read every post in detail, so forgive me if it's been mentioned, or you have already, etc etc.

Have you tried approaching your boss and telling him? If you haven't, man up a bit and do so. You're in the real world.

I've done a traineeship, and I can say that the field officers and hosts treat you like a grade 5 student. They will baby you.

If you want results, go to your manager, be assertive but not aggressive. And tell him how it is.

[ehast13]

this might not be what u want to hear, but mopping and checking tyre pressures are the sorts of things you wish you could do when you get a bit older.

As you take on more responsibility, your job gets harder. There are more things to stuff up. The pressure builds up.

Enjoy your lack of responsibility while u can. You are getting paid for it and I am sure will always have a passion for cars.

Work to live, never live to work

[V3RSAC3]

Can I suggest something? It may have already been said, but I take it you are working at a regular mechanics?? Why don't you go and seek an apprentiship at a performance place, i.e. KPM or something like that who specialise in modifying cars, not "fixing/servicing" them ...

??

[GlennBA]

Stick with it. I didn't! I used to work for a ford dealer as a first year. The guys there were really not very good to work with, there was lots of clicky little groups in the workshop and the hours were long and the money was terrible. I know what your feeling, but if you want to fix cars for a living then stick with it. It'll pay off.

[Molloy]

Welcome 2 your apprentiship, thats the same thing i do :( it gets better

[SiKoRa_eL_97]

The only reason i got my electrical apprenticeship was because of my football skills and my boss who was my coach as well gave me the job ... We would spend 6 days a week together 10+ Hours each day. As you could imagine you would get pi$$ed off at the person. My boss was a whinger a cry baby and hated when he didnt have his way he used to scream at himself his nickname was agro. Anyway one day he threw a set of pliers at me then i told him to off i done 5 months with him and found a new employeer. Now im working in Richest areas of melbourne toorak Malvern Brighton and camberwell. Would never look back. I stuck it out and now i love my work and boss is great. Hopefully ill be earning heaps of money soon!

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by Buddy 1

Well easy street is about to end so maybe Many of you young people will have to toughen up, suck it in & be happy in the Fact you have a Job.

As many will not in the coming years.

Thing is, that a lot of young folks would prefer the life on Centrelink, rather than earning $400 (after tax) a week jobs that take up 38 hours of their life, when they can have $250 a week doing nothing.

I work 50 - 60 hours a week (used to do about 80 when I was younger), and enjoy the thrills of saving up and buying something that I've worked hard for.

[XlR8TED]

Originally Posted by Bobman

Thing is, that a lot of young folks would prefer the life on Centrelink

:yeees:

[seduced_xr]

$7 an hour seems a little rough.

ive thrown the towl in on school in january at year 11 with not a clue wat i want in life. im currently working as a computer technician on $13 an hour and im loving every second of it. its easy work and theres internet access on those quiet days. but in saying all this i hated my 1st 3 weeks of the job. id wake up every morning and think oh i dont have a clue wat im doing. id get there and something like a phone would ring i wouldnt want to pick it up. i would stay in the back when customers entered the shop. all those kinds of things, u just have to settle in and get used to how the particular company operates. although i was lucky enough to land in the same company my brother has worked in for 5 years. so i knew most of the staff

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by Bobman

Thing is, that a lot of young folks would prefer the life on Centrelink, rather than earning $400 (after tax) a week jobs that take up 38 hours of their life, when they can have $250 a week doing nothing.

I work 50 - 60 hours a week (used to do about 80 when I was younger), and enjoy the thrills of saving up and buying something that I've worked hard for.

$400/week for a first year? Try $200.

[Daymoe]

Originally Posted by 93_eb_fairmont

$400/week for a first year? Try $200.

I'd think the Dole would be more preferable in that situation. Why the hell would you work for that amount of money and get abused when you can walk into Centrelink a few times, botch job applications and live happily on $422 a fortnight doing nothing.

[Bobman]

Originally Posted by 93_eb_fairmont

$400/week for a first year? Try $200.

Yeah, I know. I just meant an average job working in a factory or something.

I was an apprentice mechanic and in 2003 I was earning $5.90 an hour.