apprentice teasing stories (light) - Page 2

xr6turbo2005 · 22-04-2011, 07:50 PM

not so much an apprentice story, but from banking. the junior would be sent to another bank in town for a verbal agreement, or to get the scales to balance the ledger.

not to forget the can of spotted paint and left hand screwdriver from the hardware store.

shedcoupe · 22-04-2011, 08:27 PM

[QUOTE=AUIIPURSUIT]'

We always have a bit of a poke with the apprentices, just as i was served during my apprenticeship. But i think everyone knows what its about and you see them take joy the next year in having minor bossing rights over the new apprentice.

QUOTE]

Everybody has equal rights as they should have, but people have different natures and different abilities, and apprentices get tested to discover these qualities. Women test men, adults test children, and so on. Sometimes it seems like a trial by fire, but after time passes it may be seen as the evaluation that it is.
The PC stuff is necessary of course but a bit of perspective should be maintained.
Brutality and hazing is disgusting and wrong, but having a laugh at work helps to make it more interesting and builds team spirit if done carefully. Sometimes learning occurs too.
There's a danger in that the teased become bullies, but this is where the older people in the workplace have a responsibility to make thugs pull their heads in and behave.
The modern world has been bleached to a pale shadow of the world it could be by the trend to enforce a sameness that doesn't exist in nature.
When I teach apprentices about meggers (high-voltage output insulation testers) they are firmly told that they must never fool around with them for obvious reasons, and to beware of being given a shock with one by tradies who should know better. I encourage them to stand up for themselves and to not take **** from anyone for any reason.
And as soon as I'm out the door they're giving themselves a belt, or challenging their mates to experience one.
Of course the old charged-capacitor or megger-your-mate things are favourites but mustn't be done when a fall or other disaster is even remotely possible.

Stefan · 22-04-2011, 10:02 PM

A first year sparky on a building site I was working was watching the tradie terminate the fuse box and one of the cables was short. He sent im to the truck to grab a "cable stretcher". The aprentice came back half an hour later empty handed, but the tradie had already replaced the cable and said don't worry he'd already found it in his tool box.

4 months later another tradie came across a similar situation and sent the apprentice to the truck to grab more cable. The apprendice replied "WTF? Why not just use the cable stretcher."

Franco Cozzo · 22-04-2011, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04redxr8

And that is why these days tradies are no where near as skilled, qualified or intelligent as they once were.

Young blokes all seem to believe that they should start at the top, and not learn the fundamentals along the way. Cleaning up is one of the most important aspects of being a tradie. Any idea how many accidents can be attributed to a messy enviroment?

1st year is about watching and learning. I will never in the rest of my working career ever employ an apprentice again. Pretty much because of the attitude in the post above.

I have heard it all too many times. Kids these days don't know their place and certainly can't grasp the notion of paying your dues.

Completely agree about cleaning, but the idea is they also learn, not just clean. Everyone should be responsible for their OWN MESS, which is what we do at work, if you make a mess YOU clean it up, not the apprentice. I don't mind helping people clean up but don't expect me to basically wipe your *** for you all the time. What makes you exempt from cleaning up as well?

If you want me to clean up all day then you can pay me the rates a cleaner will earn, which is a hell of a lot more than $7.05 a year 12 first year apprentice will be paid. I'm not your personal maid, if I was forced into getting your coffee it'd be loaded up to the hilt with laxatives. You want ot play jokes on me then you better be able to take them back.

I had this argument with the guy who trains me, he's 57 and been in the industry 42 years, he was saying how when he did his apprenticeship it was lucky they survived and was complaining how easy we have it today, well thats true, but if he had it easier than someone who was a few years older than him who had to fight in the vietnam war.

Its all relative, the next generation has it easier than the last.

shedcoupe · 22-04-2011, 10:30 PM

"I encourage them to stand up for themselves and to not take **** from anyone for any reason."

I suppose I should add that I tell them to put a hand up and suck it up if they have stuffed up.

ea90gl · 22-04-2011, 11:10 PM

I'm currently an electrical apprentice (25) and there's no way I let tradies walk over me in any way shape or form, I don't mean to sound like a hero but that's how it is. We are all in the workplace as equals, we are all there for different reasons and no one should place themselves above anyone. I am more than willing to take orders, sit, watch and learn, clean up and run errands, climb in roofs etc all within reason and for the proper cause. Yeah a few jokes and some stirring is fine. Yes there are apprentices out there who need to cop abit to keep them in check but then you have the ones who are hungry to learn and do all the things that make them a stand out. Don't forget it's not only the apprentices out there who can be the bad ones - what about them tradesmans who think they are God's gift to the trade, them one's who think just because their boss from 40 million years ago was rough on them it's their duty to be the same, them ones who think because they have that ticket it gives them the right to be arrogant pr1cks. It's actually funny how many tradesman I've come across who don't have a clue, lost/forgot their tools somewhere, stuffed up orders at the wholesaler, forgot stock at the office etc etc the list goes on.

04redxr8 · 22-04-2011, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Completely agree about cleaning, but the idea is they also learn, not just clean. Everyone should be responsible for their OWN MESS, which is what we do at work, if you make a mess YOU clean it up, not the apprentice. I don't mind helping people clean up but don't expect me to basically wipe your *** for you all the time. What makes you exempt from cleaning up as well?

If you want me to clean up all day then you can pay me the rates a cleaner will earn, which is a hell of a lot more than $7.05 a year 12 first year apprentice will be paid. I'm not your personal maid, if I was forced into getting your coffee it'd be loaded up to the hilt with laxatives. You want ot play jokes on me then you better be able to take them back.

I had this argument with the guy who trains me, he's 57 and been in the industry 42 years, he was saying how when he did his apprenticeship it was lucky they survived and was complaining how easy we have it today, well thats true, but if he had it easier than someone who was a few years older than him who had to fight in the vietnam war.

Its all relative, the next generation has it easier than the last.

I'm not arguing with you.

However, from an employers point of view, your getting $7.00 an hour, compared to a tradesmans wage. sweeping floors does not bring any money into a business. (Unless it is a cleaning business). The lowest paid worker, therefore does the job, as it costs money to do.

As far as feeling peeved about your treatment, you still don't get it. Its not about being belittled. Its about the opportunity that you have. You are basically sacrificing 4 years of your life, not just to learn a trade, but to learn how to think. Learning a trade is more about problem solving, and training your mind, to figure things out for your self. So far in my opinion, you have a way to go.

You are being taught skills that can be used through out life. Its how you take what you are taught and then reapply it. By being an apprentice, you are not doing anybody at your workplace any favours. They don't need you, you are insignificant. The one gaining all the benfit is you.

Over the course of the 4 years, you can open your mind and learn so much. You will meet tradesman from all walks of life who will have different stories to tell. Upto you what you learn from them. You will also meet different people who may help you in the future. There is so much to gain in that 4 year apprenticeship, if you want it.

I am not condoning the abuse of apprentices. Although,I honestly believe that alot of them out there need to harden up. I have had kids Mums ring up sick for their kids in the past. (Unless kid is dying in hospital, instant dismissal). I have had some shocking cases over the past few years.

I have not used an apprentice in about 3 years. I gave up on them. Nothing but trouble. Kids couldn't realise the opportunity infront of them. The thing is though, my business is still going, I am still working, and I manage just fine without them. I also see much less of them out there building sites than I used to.

Gobes32 · 22-04-2011, 11:32 PM

Ford advertised 9 apprentice positions and had 5000 applicants. It seems that employers can't be bothered with apprentices anymore.

**Captain Stubing** · 22-04-2011, 11:40 PM

Years ago, I did a stint as a radio technician. I got one of the supervisors a beauty, after being the butt of a few jokes.

I drilled out the rivets of the clasp/latch on his toolbox to open it. Then I ran a bead of silicone around the lid. After closing the lid, I drilled a hole, and riveted the lid shut (where the clasp/latch sits), then I riveted the latch back onto the toolbox.

To top it off, I silver-soldered the latch components together.

It took him half a day to get to his tools, the next day! Not good for productivity, but it was a good laugh!

Franco Cozzo · 22-04-2011, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gobes32

Ford advertised 9 apprentice positions and had 5000 applicants. It seems that employers can't be bothered with apprentices anymore.

I was going to apply as apprentice motor mechanic there but I got my current apprenticeship offered to me so I thought i wouldn't risk it, probably a good thing I didn't.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04redxr8

I'm not arguing with you.

However, from an employers point of view, your getting $7.00 an hour, compared to a tradesmans wage. sweeping floors does not bring any money into a business. (Unless it is a cleaning business). The lowest paid worker, therefore does the job, as it costs money to do.

As far as feeling peeved about your treatment, you still don't get it. Its not about being belittled. Its about the opportunity that you have. You are basically sacrificing 4 years of your life, not just to learn a trade, but to learn how to think. Learning a trade is more about problem solving, and training your mind, to figure things out for your self. So far in my opinion, you have a way to go.

You are being taught skills that can be used through out life. Its how you take what you are taught and then reapply it. By being an apprentice, you are not doing anybody at your workplace any favours. They don't need you, you are insignificant. The one gaining all the benfit is you.

Over the course of the 4 years, you can open your mind and learn so much. You will meet tradesman from all walks of life who will have different stories to tell. Upto you what you learn from them. You will also meet different people who may help you in the future. There is so much to gain in that 4 year apprenticeship, if you want it.

I am not condoning the abuse of apprentices. Although,I honestly believe that alot of them out there need to harden up. I have had kids Mums ring up sick for their kids in the past. (Unless kid is dying in hospital, instant dismissal). I have had some shocking cases over the past few years.

I have not used an apprentice in about 3 years. I gave up on them. Nothing but trouble. Kids couldn't realise the opportunity infront of them. The thing is though, my business is still going, I am still working, and I manage just fine without them. I also see much less of them out there building sites than I used to.

Opportunity? Theres opportunity everywhere in life, not because I'm an apprentice which means it suddenly opens millions of opportunities which justifies the $7 an hour wage, you could sacrifise 3 years of your life for a university degree and come out with more and "better" opportunities.

The reason they hired apprentices is so that in the next 5 years they have people who know only their product and know it better than the current mob of tradesmen, enough to get rid of them.

They told us they're not training us to be real auto electricians, only enough so that we know our product. A "job for life" at the company.

I'm in this for the piece of paper, thats it. Use it as a stepping stone to something greater.

ZH For Me · 22-04-2011, 11:53 PM

A mate of mine who was an apprentice diesel mechanic was told to go get "a 3/4" adjustable spanner"... So he grabbed a 7/8" spanner, threw it into a vice, heated it up with an oxy and bashed it until it was 3/4, give or take, then gave it to the mechanic, who naturally replied "What the **** is this?". My mate's reply? "Its a 3/4" adjustable spanner, just had to adjust it from 7/8"

04redxr8 · 22-04-2011, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I was going to apply as apprentice motor mechanic there but I got my current apprenticeship offered to me so I thought i wouldn't risk it, probably a good thing I didn't.

Opportunity? Theres opportunity everywhere in life, not because I'm an apprentice which means it suddenly opens millions of opportunities which justifies the $7 an hour wage, you could sacrifise 3 years of your life for a university degree and come out with more and "better" opportunities.

The reason they hired apprentices is so that in the next 5 years they have people who know only their product and know it better than the current mob of tradesmen, enough to get rid of them.

They told us they're not training us to be real auto electricians, only enough so that we know our product. A "job for life" at the company.

I'm in this for the piece of paper, thats it.

It depends on what you do.

SileNceR · 22-04-2011, 11:59 PM

A mate sent a work experience kid (mechanics) around the corner to a tyre place to get some rattles for the rattle gun, came back with a box of washers.

Also sent him for the old bucket of compressed air.

EgoFalcon · 23-04-2011, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04redxr8

I'm not arguing with you.

However, from an employers point of view, your getting $7.00 an hour, compared to a tradesmans wage. sweeping floors does not bring any money into a business. (Unless it is a cleaning business). The lowest paid worker, therefore does the job, as it costs money to do.

As far as feeling peeved about your treatment, you still don't get it. Its not about being belittled. Its about the opportunity that you have. You are basically sacrificing 4 years of your life, not just to learn a trade, but to learn how to think. Learning a trade is more about problem solving, and training your mind, to figure things out for your self. So far in my opinion, you have a way to go.

You are being taught skills that can be used through out life. Its how you take what you are taught and then reapply it. By being an apprentice, you are not doing anybody at your workplace any favours. They don't need you, you are insignificant. The one gaining all the benfit is you.

Over the course of the 4 years, you can open your mind and learn so much. You will meet tradesman from all walks of life who will have different stories to tell. Upto you what you learn from them. You will also meet different people who may help you in the future. There is so much to gain in that 4 year apprenticeship, if you want it.

I am not condoning the abuse of apprentices. Although,I honestly believe that alot of them out there need to harden up. I have had kids Mums ring up sick for their kids in the past. (Unless kid is dying in hospital, instant dismissal). I have had some shocking cases over the past few years.

I have not used an apprentice in about 3 years. I gave up on them. Nothing but trouble. Kids couldn't realise the opportunity infront of them. The thing is though, my business is still going, I am still working, and I manage just fine without them. I also see much less of them out there building sites than I used to.

I find that funny you saying not arguing but just gave him a mouthful. Your perspective on apprenticeships is quite bad, from experience in your trade ok then. But doesn't apply EVERYWHERE!

At our workplace, when we get apprenticeship draftsperson, they do there cleaning chores (maximum 30 mins a day). Then get on to learn the product and gain more experience. This is an office job so it's quite different but when you say for 4 years he/she is just an annoying stain to have around is just crap. After first year you will start to realise you give them things to do that you would of done yourself that they didn't have any clue about doing a year ago. They can increase your productivity.

A laugh and a giggle about jokes is fine if it's insulting and harmful don't do it.

AUIIPURSUIT · 23-04-2011, 01:57 AM

you misunderstand 04redxr8 completely. Hes not condoning any violence or harsh treatment on apprentices. But **** me, if an apprentice refuses to take smoko orders, they are in for some serious verbal treatment. Its nothing personal, its just ECONOMICAL SENSE! If an apprentice cracked the shits at me over getting me a coffee and thought they had the right to put laxatives in it, i gaurentee you they would be heading to the 'burbs for a meeting with the boss faster than you can say one sugar.

Even as a FULLY qualified A grade myself, i still offer to grab a coffee for any of the other fellas if im newest qualified.

Respect and responsibilities. Theres too many apprentices these days who drag their feet and think they just have to make it to 3:30 and wonder why they dont get the respect they *think* they deserve.

I for one try and teach apprentices as much as i can, and do not treat them like idiots. But the amount of times ill ask an apprentice to work something out (thats logically quite attainable) and they said "i dont know" just so they dont have to think, we'll ive lost count. I make them try and be accountable and say "Thats not good enough, heres the situation, heres the desired outcome, how are we going to make this work?".. ill happily draw line diagrams to make my point clear, and then watch then put the drawings into physical reality. Once finished ill make them explain what they have done in a literal sense, and figurative sense. If they are right, i always commend them for having a go in the end.

I still vividly remember my apprenticeship, so i always go out of my way to help an apprentice. But the second one thinks they have the right to be cocky and unwilling, they dig their own grave.

shedcoupe · 23-04-2011, 10:30 AM

Seems like there's still a lot of tradies who care enough about their trade and their apprentices to keep making an effort with the raw material that needs processing into competent or excellent workers. Good on ya.
And there are still apprentices who are an asset to the trade and the boss. Good on ya too.

However, I recently saw a news article that said that bricklaying apprentices were useless at maths - 75 % couldn't calculate the area of a rectangle.
This is either because the smarter kids/adults are being snapped up by other trades, or more likely because the school system doesn't teach them basic concepts and skills anymore.

Franco Cozzo · 23-04-2011, 10:57 AM

You know what your reason for the above is? Anyone who is decent at school is pushed by careers advisors to go onto university, the kids they see struggling along and are general failures at school get pushed towards trades.

Thats your problem.

I went for a trade because I didn't want to go through to uni and can't be bothered with the studying, I see 13 years of school is enough for me. But, I don't plan on doing it for the rest of my life. My previous job out of 15 of us, three of us have year 12 passes, my current job out of 30 of us, again only 3 have year 12 passes.

When I did maths in year 12, we got rid of compound interest from our curriculum because "it was too hard" even though we have CAS calculators. We did statistics, matrices, networks, bearings and trigonometry.

gtxb67 · 23-04-2011, 11:05 AM

years ago, a young male printer could be sent to the girls in the graphic repro room to ask for the reproduction tool

shedcoupe · 23-04-2011, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Damo

You know what your reason for the above is? Anyone who is decent at school is pushed by careers advisors to go onto university, the kids they see struggling along and are general failures at school get pushed towards trades.

Thats your problem.

Another problem - some students are discouraged or even prevented from doing harder subjects so that the school's average marks are better and it gets a higher rating / ranking / funding / whatever.
Too many times have I heard that "Mum (always the mum) had to go and hassle them so that I could do physics/advanced maths/other"

shedcoupe · 23-04-2011, 11:19 AM

Boys will be boys ....

Interceptor · 26-04-2011, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by au3xr6

can't belive no one has mentioned a personal favourie of mine the "long wait" we used this one a lot. I have another story I'll put up tomorrow I'ts long and I'm tired tonight

the apprentice at work got sent up to me for a long weight...... kept the bugger waiting for 30 minutes before he whinged to the service manager who had trouble keeping a straight face....

as for the grease gun thing, one of our apprentices had his toolbox pumped full of grease at a previous employer, when he started with us, as soon as i found out, i ground the threaded base off a large grease nipple and araldited it to his toolbox and plugged a grease gun onto it so it'd look used.......

thank god he had a sense of humour

grandpa_spec_F6 · 27-04-2011, 01:28 AM

This one happened to me, however I got my own back:

Was woking as a tradies assistant, was told to drill out a brass earthing plate on corner A and tap the hole.

So what do I do? Drill out corner B as well as A.... whoops!

Go up to the foreman, show him my gaff, he then starts hooting about the workshop, telling everyone what a useless sack of goo I am, how that's coming out of my pay (which he said was roughly my weeks wage) and then calls the boss down and lets him in on the joke about my pay being docked. Boss goes along with it and I get all cranky for the rest of the week thinking I'm not getting paid, how it's unfair etc.

I take it all very seriously, didn't realise it wouldn't come out of my pay, boss was in on the joke etc etc. however... I'm still annoyed at the foreman for making such a fuss.

About a week later I pull out the same plate that I'd hidden away, go up to the foreman and show it to him "sorry boss, you're not gonna believe what I did"... OH BOY did he go all out, called everyone to stop work, come and look what the idiot did again!.

So after the whole workshop was now watching the foreman in full flight slagging me off, I quickly piped up and said "hey boss,.... that wouldn't be the SAME plate you marked as a write-off, you know, the one from last week?"

He stops, turns it over, looks at it.... swearing and demands of floor sweeping ensued while the whole workshop then commenced making fun of his obvious oversight. Petty and stupid, but hey, at 15 that made my day

shedcoupe · 27-04-2011, 08:28 AM

Some of the third-year boys would sometimes go to the pub for lunch when attending their weekly day at tafe. They'd eat and have a beer, but being regular drinkers wouldn't be drunk or fall asleep.
Evil teacher one day got some teachers (from another section, and who the boys had never met) to put on white lab coats and come into the class to get some students for the 'random drug test'. Picked a couple out at 'random' - "You, and you - go with these guys and give a urine sample".
Boys were freaking as they thought that a tafe zero-alcohol policy was in place, and that the boss would be informed, sky would fall in, etc etc.

Honest Gaza · 27-04-2011, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04redxr8

However, from an employers point of view...
Its not about being belittled. Its about the opportunity that you have. You are basically sacrificing 4 years of your life, not just to learn a trade...

You are being taught skills that can be used through out life. Its how you take what you are taught and then reapply it. By being an apprentice, you are not doing anybody at your workplace any favours. They don't need you, you are insignificant. The one gaining all the benfit is you.

I have not used an apprentice in about 3 years. I gave up on them. Nothing but trouble.

I've taken the liberty of heavily editing your response, but I refer to the whole "rant".

My son recently applied to be an apprentice through the MTA. A job was advertised, and yet when he applied, it seems the job/s didn't really exist. He and others, attended an MTA training course at Granville to see if they were suitable for the jobs that didn't really exist. On one occasion, they spent half a day watching a video (not even related).

During this time, no pay, travel costs borne by the applicant (parent)....and no access to travel discounts.

A job was found and he then attended for approx 2 weeks. During that week, he swept, mopped, cleaned and mopped again.

How does this help him....and just as importantly, how did this help his employer ?

As an employer, do you not realise that you are making an investment in your business. Do you not want the Apprentice to become a tradesman for you ?

It was hard enough for me to feel that his time was being used constructively....let alone convincing him.

shedcoupe · 27-04-2011, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Honest Gaza

A job was found and he then attended for approx 2 weeks. During that week, he swept, mopped, cleaned and mopped again.

How does this help him.....

I think you certainly have a point but would like to note that any time a young fella spends learning how to clean is time well spent (unless he's done it a million times before, which is rare).
There's a very slight possibility the poor kid might get noticed as 'showing willing' too.

A fitter once told me that he did his trade at a Dutch shipyard in the 60's.
First day on the job he was given a 200 litre drum of old nuts and bolts, a set of pitch gauges, and vernier calipers, and was told to start cleaning and sorting.
After completing that task he was given another drum to do, and then got onto learning his trade.
He hated the boss at the time, but he could look at any fastener and immediately identify it - diameter, length, thread type, type of steel, etc.

Honest Gaza · 27-04-2011, 11:03 AM

The key for the employer is.....

Yes, expect the Apprentice to do some of the crap jobs (cleaning etc).
But also, ensure that his/her interest is held and that he/she is learning something meaningful along the way.