The kid may have a job at last .

[Evans Electric]

We've have a lad doing work experience with us ,on & off for a while ,  lives opposite me , doing the courses at the local college but no one seems to able to get permanent job .

If it was 5 yrs ago he could have joined us but now I only do a couple of days a week. .

He's been on some new builds and refurbs with us and did OK  while he's trying for jobs that never seem to happen .

As I said on here a few times , no one at his college has ever actually worked in the trade , only him.

Anyway , interview with a local sparks on Monday ,out of the blue,  started him  next day , last I heard  he,s on a refurb with him with possibly 19 new houses coming up .  I'll know more the weekend but he should be fine , hes a likable kid , done  various courses but of course no "proper" work  .  He reckoned he learned more with us in a day than a year at college . 

So I wish him all the luck , we'll be keeping an eye out to make sure he's treated OK  .  The Sparks is local so I should know him , time will tell.

 

[Tony S]

The very best of luck to him.

He's right in what he said, you learn more out in the real world

 

[kerching]

It is nice to see someone get on.

back in the day we had about 10 apprentices on....the days when you all piled in the back of the Bedford Van with the slidey doors, got dropped at site, chippy dinner everyday and a Billy can.  NEVER thought of taking sandwiches

 

[Tony S]

Where I started it was two electricians, two welders and five fitters each year.

Well done to the lad.

 

[ruston]

Yes , I wish him well too. It is nice to see endeavour rewarded. 

 

[NozSpark]

Where I started it was two electricians, two welders and five fitters each year.

Well done to the lad.

The lads done well,,, the co. were obviously impressed with the fact that he got off his arse and got some work

IIRC there were 22 (ish in my entry).... ended up being an even split,,, 11 instrument and 11 electrical.... and it pretty much carried on with that number for quite a few years

 

[roys]

Our apprentice intake in the year (1981) I started was 103, split into sparks, fitters and instrument techs. Had been that for countless years before me as well, then the year after it dropped to 47, stayed at that for 2 or 3 years and then went to sfa, something to do with the government policy but that is another story.

 

[Evans Electric]

Yes its a common story .I can't imagine how many apprentices where I did my time ,  there were dozens & dozens  you never ever met  .

It was said there were 100 pair just working on the Mini lines at what we called "The Austin"  .  Perhaps better known now as  BMC......   BL..... Longbridge....or the Rover.     ( Now all flattened)

There were also dozens working in Oxford at the car plant there , also where the  drive shafts, prop shafts & CV Joints were made at Hardy Spicer (GKN)  and the car body press works  (Now  Jaguar) .      I think they were at Morris Commercial too.

Birmingham was changing rapidly then , loads of us on new build schools , hospitals, city centre stores,    shopping centres ,even lighting & road heating on new underpasses & flyovers ,   multi story car parks, insurance buildings , major railway station refurbs  and even the new local HQ depot for the  (then)  area electricity board  (MEB)   

Somehow we managed to do all those things  without needing labour from far flung parts of the EU.... without computers,  Iphones... plastic conduit....SDS drills.....battery drills....RCDs  .... LEDs.... Part Peez .... the metric system ... On Site Guides..... and CSCS cards.   

 

[pewter]

It is nice to see someone get on.

back in the day we had about 10 apprentices on....the days when you all piled in the back of the Bedford Van with the slidey doors, got dropped at site, chippy dinner everyday and a Billy can.  NEVER thought of taking sandwiches

Back when housing was affordable and eating out at lunch was normal.

Now we get to spend most of our wages on bills, work through lunch or have a sandwich while working.

 

[binky]

what lunch, haven't got time for that....and lunch used to be liquid . Guinness

 

[Rob.]

The very best of luck to him.

He's right in what he said, you learn more out in the real world

There's not a truer sentence. 

I remember getting to the quarry after 12 months training at the training center. First day, I felt like I'd sat in a dark room for the entire time. 

It did start to impose fundamental skills, welding, fitting, how to actually cut in a straight line. I even thought I was pretty handy with electrics. My mentor soon made me realize I knew sweet FA that day. 

 

[Tony S]

My first year was 90% mechanical. Fitting, machining, welding, etc. It came in handy later with fault finding.

Being cut loose on shifts was the steepest learning curve.

 

[Rob.]

My first year was 90% mechanical. Fitting, machining, welding, etc. It came in handy later with fault finding.

Being cut loose on shifts was the steepest learning curve.

First night shift being the sole electrician  on the works was incredibly daunting. 

Instant sink or swim moment. 

 

[Evans Electric]

Ah yes  Rob ...as you say  a daunting moment  as you step into the deep end with no Sparky Mentor to fall back on .

We went "On the tools"  after a 6 yr apprenticship  at age 21 .........  not too bad if you remain ,say, on the same job , still someone to give guidance , but I was pulled into the yard to go out on breakdowns  accompanied by a bewildered 15 yr old school leaver  who clearly thinks I know everything ,   and is struggling to find the routes from  the A-Z