Trainee Section - Low Traffic... Why?

SparkyChick · Dec 2, 2018

Hi all,

This message is from the staff and we'd like to hear your thoughts/comments.

As you probably know, we have an area of the forums set aside for members who are on electrical training courses. This is 'staffed' if you will by members with the 'Forum Mentor' badge and staff.

The idea is that trainee's can ask questions in there in relative safety, free from the fear their competence will be called into question by those who may have forgotten how clueless they were when they first started their journey.

However, we've noticed that there isn't a lot of traffic in that area. A good example would be a competition recently run by @essex which attracted hardly any entries.

Our question is... why might this be?

We want to increase traffic and usage of the trainee section. I have a competition idea ready to go, but I'd like to think that it will get more than a couple of entries.

So... if you've got a suggestion on why traffic in the trainee section may be low, why people may be reluctant to have a go at competitions designed to help them, why might people be reluctant to ask questions or you've got a suggestion on how we might improve things, please post here.

If you'd rather not post your comments and views in public, then don't keep quiet, start a conversation with me and let me know what you think.

Thanks

SC

static zap · Dec 2, 2018

Is the procedure to to register -Quite snappy ?
( My son is definitely has a short attention span ..at that age --KEVIN-- )

123 · Dec 2, 2018

I've seen a lot of posts on the main forum for questions being asked by non signed up trainees - with the advice to apply for access to the trainee section. Perhaps on the registration part of the forum there could be a question for this that is immediately sent for approval for them?

Also could change the forum order so the trainee forum is at the top, so it's the first thing they see when on the forum?

Nigel · Dec 2, 2018

I will still be posting in there so don’t worry.

However if it is just an Essex Echo-chamber then that is not fun for anyone.

So ‘Forum Mentors’ need to earn their badge if you ask me. There were a few that popped into my thread to offer guidance but compared to how many mentors there are on here that is rubbish.

The mentor badge should be a privilege and if members just want it for jewellery then it should be taken away.

Also a ‘Trainee’ badge in the ‘New Posts’ list would help. There is one for ‘domestic’ and ‘commercial’ and it draws the eyes but nothing for trainee questions.

Gavin John Hyde · Dec 2, 2018

I appreciate you have the mentor badge to help trainees but could you not open the trainee section up to arms members aswell? With the rules being any unhelpful replies or mocking the trainees abilities etc then you are warned, and blocked from that section.
It would likely generate more traffic on that section.

marconi · Dec 3, 2018

I wonder if the mentors (and others) might post stuff which is 'bite-sized' learning perhaps wrapped in a narrative from real-life. As an example - someone posted recently about how many issues could be seen in a picture of a meter cupboard. Another was about new electric ovens tripping the RCD and how to rectify the problem. The indicator of success and usefulness would be the trainee view count.

If one could plot trainee view count against time (say days) it would be easy to see when trainees are engaged in a post - the plot goes upwards - and when it has run its course the plot levels off to a maximum. It can then be removed.

There could then be a running total view count kept for each mentor - and points mean fame and prizes.

GMES · Dec 3, 2018

@essex ,
Do you mean a prefix like this ( screenshot ) if so then you owe @Sintra a Big man hug as he came through for you.

[ElectriciansForums.net] Trainee Section - Low Traffic... Why?

Nigel · Dec 3, 2018

GMES said:
@essex ,
Do you mean a prefix like this ( screenshot ) if so then you owe @Sintra a Big man hug as he came through for you.

View attachment 46146

That's it. Fantastic and well done @GMES and @Sintra

It will draw people to those posts easier.

Edtwozeronine · Dec 3, 2018

My main issue was that you had to give too many private details to join the student area, I'm of the generation X tell the internet nothing. I don't have a Facebook account or Twitter account, certainly not in my real name!

Mods could always temp ban any fake students if they cause hassle.

Horace68 · Dec 3, 2018

I can't even find it!!!

I found this thread in a search for it

Sintra · Dec 3, 2018

Horace68 said:
I can't even find it!!! I found this thread in a search for it

I see now that you've found it

MFS Electrical · Dec 3, 2018

I feel that it’s quite difficult to get to the trainee section it seems to be quite far down the forum list. I’d like to see it higher, if possible that way it may generate more interest. I find it a chore to go and look for it and I want to help but it just seems that it is easier to post in the main forum....
Or maybe a big fluorescent button near the top of the page that takes you straight to the trainee section....

GMES · Dec 3, 2018

MFS Electrical said:
I feel that it’s quite difficult to get to the trainee section it seems to be quite far down the forum list. I’d like to see it higher, if possible that way it may generate more interest. I find it a chore to go and look for it and I want to help but it just seems that it is easier to post in the main forum....
Or maybe a big fluorescent button near the top of the page that takes you straight to the trainee section....

I know what you mean, it took me a full swipe of the thumb to get to it on the list, think I need a lay down. I feel like I've just scaled Everest.

MFS Electrical · Dec 3, 2018

GMES said:
I know what you mean, it took me a full swipe of the thumb to get to it on the list, think I need a lay down. I feel like I've just scaled Everest.

Some people’s thumb swipes

GMES said:
I know what you mean, it took me a full swipe of the thumb to get to it on the list, think I need a lay down. I feel like I've just scaled Everest.

@GMES can you watch the forum like you can watch a thread?

SparkyChick · Dec 3, 2018

MFS Electrical said:
Some people’s thumb swipes

@GMES can you watch the forum like you can watch a thread?

Mrs. GMES (masquerading as SparkyChick) here....

Yes you can watch a forum

BeardyJaws · Dec 5, 2018

The simple answer is the most obvious answer here I think. It’s the amount of data requested to access the trainee area. In a time where everyone is more cautious about who has what and the forum is asking for everything in one go. Name, address, in addition to course and study info. We all use forums to help each other and occasionally mock each other but I wouldn’t want to give out all that info on here or anywhere else.
Name, course, years to go or when did you start. That’s realistically all that’s required the rest feels like data grabbing.