Ffs

[SafeGasInstall]

sorry fella disagree this time , phones are a no no if your on a job , same as smoking time and a place.

if any tradesman turned up at my door smoking they wouldn't get in ,

just shows me he has no respect for his employer or the customer and thats before you give him a tool

Again smoking and phones can be used at the right time and place Lee
You are saying the same thing but wording it differently

 

[supper plumb]

im free and have my own tools so if i bust it its on my head lol il give him a size 12 if you want?????

 

[Mike Jackson]

Personal phones are a no no except for during breaks and for emergencies. Smoking at break times only and well away from the customers property.

 

[WaterTight]

If it was a girl would the arse hanging out be such an issue?

Depends on the girls I suppose..

With the right one you could charge extra.

 

[lame plumber]

girles can hang their front or back out if they smile at the same time.

 

[Barry98]

The old vertical or horizontal smile

 

[Dotty]

Oh god I hope Hannah doesn't stumble across this one!

 

[Barry98]

Too young to understand

 

[Barry98]

But for the love of god if she does don't anyone say the old this post is nothing without pictures . BAN!

 

[Rickster123]

But for the love of god if she does don't anyone say the old this post is nothing without pictures . BAN!

That's spooky, you read my mind!

 

[Toxic Ted]

The old vertical or horizontal smile

Have you noticed that a verticle smile turns into a gurn with age?

 

[Phil]

Maybe the title of this thread is apt given that we are now talking about axe wounds.

 

[tamz]

I'm with Stan here. Its all about how you approach it.

Day 1 he knows F all about F all so you don't just get him to turn up at your house, jump in the van and expect him to know anything.
Start with the basics. Consider it as an induction to the world of plumbing AND health and safety.
You explain the rules and what you expect and why. What is acceptable and what is not and of course things he should know for his and others safety eg smoking at the door is hazardous to his health because you will kick him across the front garden if he does it :wink:
Then you have to explain and show him what tools and fittings are called, what different sizes are, where they are kept and what they are for.
Keep it simple for the first few days and expect nothing much except that he is listening and doing what he is told.
Keep any tasks to simple things and show him how you expect it done and why. Explain everything.
After the first week he should have a grasp of how you work and what is expected then the learning begins.
Train them right and they will be a big asset. Train them wrong, expect too much too soon and you are to blame as much as them.

 

[cr0ft]

apprentice started Monday: so far he has broke my SDS drill, which led to me trying to fix it, cutting my hand and putting a screwdriver through my brand new tv so total cost £400. smoked at the door of customers house and stunk the house out, had his bum showing on 4-5 occasions (that I have noticed) been on the phone (both things are clearly on contract that he must not do) absolutely mullered a few radiator tails, went to the van about 8 times just to come back and say "I don't know what that is" has completely not listened to me and ignored what I told him, I asked him to put paste on compression joints and he did it for 2-3 and left the rest, I told him to cover boiler as drilling near it this morning and 5 seconds later I hear drilling, " have you covered boiler?" "where's dust sheet?" is his reply. The worst thing for me is the lack of looking for things, I ask him to get something and 2 minutes later he comes back and say's "I cant find it" obviously he hasn't looked very well. Is this usual things for beginners? (baring in mind that he has worked for a building company previously) or is he just rubbish?

I've had plenty like this before, i.e. no initiative or common sense.

Don't settle for them mate. Plenty of people with the above qualities looking for apprenticeships atm. It's an employer's market.

 

[Ermintrude]

Let him doss about for few days and then when u in van on way to job have a real talk. Explain that his phone stays in van he only smokes at end of drive ( even if it's 2 miles long and it's raining) he needs to buck up ideas or just forget it. Then give him viper book and gauge, right u have 30 mins while I drain down and have a drink do a tightness test. If he tries or asks for help after 10 mins fine. If he is on phone or just says yeh done it after 3 mins. Get his bait and tools out of van give him a £5 to get home and away he goes.

 

[LPC]

Sounds like a waste of time. At this beginning stage he should be super-keen and running around like a kitten trying to please you and do everything he can to help and learn.

Surely there are hundreds of thousands of bright, keen young lads who would likely give a lot for this opportunity, you must be able to find one?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Let him doss about for few days and then when u in van on way to job have a real talk. Explain that his phone stays in van he only smokes at end of drive ( even if it's 2 miles long and it's raining) he needs to buck up ideas or just forget it. Then give him viper book and gauge, right u have 30 mins while I drain down and have a drink do a tightness test. If he tries or asks for help after 10 mins fine. If he is on phone or just says yeh done it after 3 mins. Get his bait and tools out of van give him a £5 to get home and away he goes.

TT to a newbie ???
Croft don't be like this !
Tamz thank you for your post !!!

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Sounds like a waste of time. At this beginning stage he should be super-keen and running around like a kitten trying to please you and do everything he can to help and learn.

Surely there are hundreds of thousands of bright, keen young lads who would likely give a lot for this opportunity, you must be able to find one?

dog will only bring you water if you did take some of your time to train the dog how to bring you water !!!

 

[tamz]

I've had plenty like this before, i.e. no initiative or common sense.

Don't settle for them mate. Plenty of people with the above qualities looking for apprenticeships atm. It's an employer's market.

A bad tradesman (teacher) always blames his tool.

You can teach anyone anything if you approach it the right way. I'm sure at 16 you were full of enthusiasm initiative and common sense.

At that age all i was interested in was getting enough money for a packet of ****, a bottle of wine and getting my hole!

 

[LPC]

dog will only bring you water if you did take some of your time to train the dog how to bring you water !!!

I know what you're saying, but I don't think it applies. Technical know-how about plumbing/heating, and common-sense and enthusiasm, are 2 entirely different things.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Just not sure about the last part Tom , the bit about getting your hole lol

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

dog will only bring you water if you did take some of your time to train the dog how to bring you water !!!

not if its a jack Russel,there as thick as ****,sadly like some apprentices

 

[SafeGasInstall]

I know what you're saying, but I don't think it applies. Technical know-how about plumbing/heating, and common-sense and enthusiasm, are 2 entirely different things.

Agree !!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

sorry fella disagree this time , phones are a no no if your on a job , same as smoking time and a place.

if any tradesman turned up at my door smoking they wouldn't get in ,

just shows me he has no respect for his employer or the customer and thats before you give him a tool

you missed post#21:skull:

 

[Ray Stafford]

There are three reasons why employees do bad work.

1 They don't know any better.
2 They don't have the equipment/resources to do a decent job
3 They don't care

1 or 2 is the bosses fault. 3 is the employees fault.

Hire on attitude, you can always teach skills.