Being Slow at Work - Advice for an Apprentice.

[RDB85]

I was speaking to one of our Apprentices today who has been with us just under 3 years and is coming to the end of his apprenticeship. He said whilst I was away on holiday they gave him a ‘test’ which involved doing a full installation of an intruder alarm. You have another engineer there just for safety and to ask any questions but other than that it’s your job.

He said that they were not happy that the job over-ran by a day due to lack of training on some areas of the install that he has never done or been allowed to do in previous installation were he goes and helps another engineer.

They said that he really needs to speed up, that the company can’t sustain a loss of profit on the job due to it going over.

Any help or advice on this?

 

[Dumb founded]

So they’ve had another go at him for being slow. An Engineer has had a moan to Management about him. Even though he’s done the work to the standards, they have now said that he needs to work quicker.

They have also said that he will be working on his own soon and also will be on call out. But the writing on the wall to me is that he needs to work quicker regardless of the standard of work or they won’t be keeping him on.

Work quicker regardless of the standard of work…. Wonder how the man in the curly wig would see that when someone has an accident. You have to be critical of course if something is below standard etc. but at the same time build their confidence up. I believe folk forget about what they were like when they were learning. Must have been perfect obviously. Slating them will do nothing for their confidence.

 

[Aaron b]

I've been in the position of working with someone that liked to speak bad and blame me for all sorts and it suited the management to have a scapegoat. I should have moved on sooner.

If the employer can't give constructive advice I would advise them to move on, on their own terms instead of being pushed out.

 

[Markyd]

Company will be sending him out to do £50 EICR's next

 

[RDB85]

They had another go. So he got given another install with a 3rd year apprentice. The client sent an email to the MD saying that they were not happy with they filling around the PIRS after they had left the job. This house has an existing alarm that has a really old alarm in. So they had to fill around the sensors. But as the filler has dried it’s sank. But he said they explained everything to the client.

 

[nicebutdim]

Has the company also trained this guy as a painter and decorator?

 

[Diddy]

When the lad comes out of his time he would usually be better served moving on anyway. But I feel sorry for him from what I have read. So many sparks cry about "apprentices these days" or indeed young electricians. Nobody ever says god the current senior sparks are ---- at training young guys. We were all apprentices once and at that stage in the game you are only as good as your teacher. Winds me up quite a bit tbh.

 

[Diddy]

Just to add a wee bit to my above semi rant. I have had the pleasure of playing a part in about apprentices. Some of which I have had for the full term others i have picked up as they were struggling with their spark and close to being chucked by the firm i worked for...as long as they showed willing I would take them on and turn them round. One lad was trained by the roughest git alive...poor kid, i must have spent 3 months telling him "rip it out lad do it properly". That boy has his own little firm now and employed 5 lads.
It's been 5 years since my last one. Im not in the game full time any more but im pretty proud to have taken a small amount of time to "give back" regardless of the company involved. At the end of the day if grown men hadn't taken the time to show me then where would I have been. Im pretty sure most of us didn't come out of school as fully trained sparks lol.
OP you could give the lad some advice and tell him how to ride this out and finish his apprenticeship after which he can start afresh full of knowledge somewhere new. It's a big old world out there. Also maybe point out that if the lad isnt trained in some aspects then they should rectify that as per the conditions of any grants they will be receiving to employ this lad.