Working for free while at college...

[OllieNotts]

Hi all, after a bit of advice regarding work experience. I have been offered the chance to shadow a guy and his lads on some domestic and commercial stuff.
What tools should I take if any? He didn't say much about what I would do other then working alongside his lads and learning from them. Not sure if I should turn up with a bag of tools(I don't have a proper one yet just the college crap I got conned in to buying) so should I get some?
Please don't have a go about working for free either, the guy has offered me a chance to learn and in the current climate a day a week "work experience" could get me on somewhere else or even on to agency work. Booked my CSCS card test today for 2 weeks time so hopefully might start being able to get some contacts in the trade and a bit of paid work while I learn.

 

[i=p/u]

i would work the first day for free and thats it , but only you can learn from it..

when i started i couldnt get out with anyone, started meeting people in belfast for work which i had to get train as is 70 miles away and one dude took the ****, didnt even tell me how much i was getting payed wouldnt awnser my phonecalls, i worked four days for free plus paid transport, not intentionally

agree money before you start in future, but if you want to try this i say why not if its not too much hassel to get too...

if they are decent they will agree money and chat you through the job..... even if 2 mins rundown.. good luck hope works out

 

[piratebillybob]

forgot to mention i did two weeks with two different companies for free.

there are companies out there who will string you along with the old "come do a work trial and well see how well you get on" and they have no interest in taking you on, they just want the free labour.

when i started i had the same outlook as you in that "i dont care if they dont pay me ill use them for experience" but after a few weeks youll start to resent the fact that they dont pay you even a token rate of a few quid an hour.

but in the end not getting a job at those two companies was the best thing because i ended up getting a fantastic opportunity with a national company

working for free is a very bitter pill to swallow. and there are many companies out there who will happily take advantage of that.

 

[mickys86]

First day for free?? It's hard enough getting started as it is. One day a week just to come along and learn isn't going to be takin the mickey. You aren't committed either so you can just stop if you ever feel that you want to

 

[Knobhead]

The unfortunate thing is we’re condemning a company that could be on the up and up.

Ollie give the company a time span you’re prepared to work for gratis, after that you want paying. And make sure it’s on a rising scale as you gain experience and become more a member of the team.

 

[mickys86]

The unfortunate thing is we’re condemning a company that could be on the up and up.

Ollie give the company a time span you’re prepared to work for gratis, after that you want paying. And make sure it’s on a rising scale as you gain experience and become more a member of the team.

Well said that man!

 

[Gylesr]

i doubt it,most have been paid to train,never work for free it does no one any good,in fact its what employers want,how can you expect a decent wage when you have previously worked for free,its slave labour..you dont get anymore respect by working for free,you say the guy wont take the p,he already is..

(never work for free it does no one any good)
what a stupid statement! its done me fine.. after working one day a week whilst at college the rest ive been given a apprenticship with the company i was working for free with! if i had gone there with no experience and asked for them to give me there time and be paid what do you think would be there response? they wudnt know anything about me or my skill level.
obviously dont work for a company for weeks on end for nothing for them to turn around and say no chance of a position that is slave labour! and personally i would give a young lad alot of respect for getting of his arse and offering to work for free to gain experience! in this current climate there arnt apprenticeships just floating around!

 

[Guest111]

Ollie tip for you taught it to my last apprentice,buy a roll of tape any colour will do, and put a small band of it around the handle of all tools pliers screwdrivers etc,then if anything goes missing you can spot it a mile off if it accidentally ends up in someone else,s kit good luck mate

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Ollie, Don't go buying a load of tools just yet.
As post no.2 says, give him a call and ask if he expects you to be tooled up or to literally give the others a hand in which case you won't need to take your own just yet.
I know you need tools at some point but remember, at this stage you are there to shadow/learn/help out, it is already going to cost you bus/train fair etc. If you put £185 on your card for a tool kit, do not do so until you can pay for it by using them for work. If the guy says after a few days work he will pay you, then fine go ahead buy what you need.
Make sure you have some steel toe capped footwear, get a cheap HI Vis vest for a couple of quid from a market or tesco etc so you have the basics.
Like others have said show enthusiasm and you my get taken on or recommended on to another company.
Leave your mobile phone on silent, forget you have the thing, even though you are not paid, show professionalism.
At least you have made a start, and let us know how it goes!!

 

[Guest111]

Yes good point Mark about mobiles had to tell my lad off a few times about that,he made a good apprentice and ended up getting a good job but if someone asked me his biggest fault when he came to me I would have to say it was his phone,may seem petty but as you say its about being professional and texting all day isn,t.

 

[piratebillybob]

my company sacked the last apprentice. Everytime anyone mentions him the first thing they say is "he was always on the phone"

but you will be tempted to look at it because there will be times when youre just stood there like a plum watching the electrician doing something tedious like make an swa gland off etc

But my best advice to anyone is to leave it at home or only look at it during break. If you look at it when youre supposed to be working youll get a crap reputation

as for tools i wouldnt go crazy either. The electricians youll be working with will have most of the tools needed. And your college ones will probably be adequate for the job too.

I only say go careful because worst case scenario is that you go out and buy hundreds of quids worth of tools and this electrician thing doesnt work out.

I know this sounds pessimistic but i know someone who got a £750 tester fresh out of college and it took him 18 months to find an apprenticeship. It was touch and go whether or not he had wasted a grand by splashing out on tools before getting a job.

 

[OllieNotts]

Thanks for the words of wisdom guys, hopefully it works out.

 

[mickys86]

(never work for free it does no one any good)
what a stupid statement! its done me fine.. after working one day a week whilst at college the rest ive been given a apprenticship with the company i was working for free with! if i had gone there with no experience and asked for them to give me there time and be paid what do you think would be there response? they wudnt know anything about me or my skill level.
obviously dont work for a company for weeks on end for nothing for them to turn around and say no chance of a position that is slave labour! and personally i would give a young lad alot of respect for getting of his arse and offering to work for free to gain experience! in this current climate there arnt apprenticeships just floating around!

That's exactly how I managed to get my apprenticeship

Good luck ollie hope it works out for ya!

 

[alarm man]

That's exactly how I managed to get my apprenticeship

Good luck ollie hope it works out for ya!

thats why this industry is on its knees,when sparks are looking to get a decent rate with their employers they say why should you get it when joe bloggs is working for free..we'll meet you half way,how does a bowl of rice sound..

 

[mickys86]

thats why this industry is on its knees,when sparks are looking to get a decent rate with their employers they say why should you get it when joe bloggs is working for free..we'll meet you half way,how does a bowl of rice sound..

The industry is on its knees because I went to work one day a week to gain experience???? I knew nothing, couldn't do anything on my own. I worked a few times when the person I was LEARNING from offered to pay me apprenticeship rates because he was impressed by the way I wanted to learn. And now I have a full apprenticeship with said company. I am learning all things commercial and domestic. If what I did is bringing the industry to its knees maybe I should have gone on a 5 week course and started my own company straight away

 

[alarm man]

aye very good..