1st day at work for the old and young amongst us.

[Pete999]

Answering a post just now got me wondering, how many interesting stories are there about your 1st day at work, plenty, if you will only admit to them. lol

 

[frontier219]

First day, picked up at 5am and driven 120 miles to site (BIG shock to the system). Told to bend some 90s in 25mm steel conduit. After laughing at me try for a good 3 hours, was shown how to do it. Not a good start...Company in question were very good sparks but very **** employers.

 

[BES]

Little bit different but as a late comer to the trade I used to help guy out at weekends for just beer money and get some experiance. Anyway second saturday there's me top if some step ladders fixing cleats for some swa came down steps with a 18v makita drill in hand the one with the big heavy old battery swung round only to find the guy standing next to steps watching what I had been doing. The battery end of drill conected with the side of his head with a good whack he started break dancing around the warehouse we were in then fell to his knees. I had to take him to hospital where he had a scan and they kept him in over night for obsevation due to him passing out. Oh we do laugh when we see each other at least I do

 

[BES]

What's your story then Pete. Don't tell me Edison and Tesla had you making the tea.

 

[Pete999]

What's your story then Pete. Don't tell me Edison and Tesla had you making the tea.

Cheeky sod, I already explained mine on an earlier thread, suffice t say it was about MICC and before you ask the Sparkie's name was Brian John indeed to goodness, yes he a Welshman and a thoroughly good bloke and no, Tesla wasn't about, and Thomas was way gone.
My second day though, that was a different matter, back in the workshop repairing irons and toasters, yes before you ask we did repairs in those days, none of your bung it if it breaks down, now the guy I worked with was a right pig, arrogant little dipstick, can't say what he really was barsteward.

 

[Barry White]

First day in factory aged 16 the morning is a blurr then dinertime all the lads jumped on me and put a long broomstick through my overall sleeves and fastened me inbetween 2 vices laughing they all left for dinner. After 5 minutes a woman in her late 50s came walking over I shouted to her to open the vise but she opened my overalls and produced a bottle of red sauce undid my pants and let me have it then I noticed the lads egging her on.She did undo the vise and walked away laughing.
Dont know which was the redder my face or my bits.spent the rest of dinner trying to wash it off in the toilets.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Little bit different but as a late comer to the trade I used to help guy out at weekends for just beer money and get some experiance. Anyway second saturday there's me top if some step ladders fixing cleats for some swa came down steps with a 18v makita drill in hand the one with the big heavy old battery swung round only to find the guy standing next to steps watching what I had been doing. The battery end of drill conected with the side of his head with a good whack he started break dancing around the warehouse we were in then fell to his knees. I had to take him to hospital where he had a scan and they kept him in over night for obsevation due to him passing out. Oh we do laugh when we see each other at least I do

Is that because he can't remember as he's still concussed?

 

[Silly Sausage]

Answering a post just now got me wondering, how many interesting stories are there about your 1st day at work, plenty, if you will only admit to them. lol

How many of us can remember that far back.

 

[ian.settle1]

Remember my first day and week as an apprentice, went to the bosses house where he ran the business from told to go with an electrician who turned out to be his first day with the company as well.
Foreman gave him directions to a job to which turned out to a new squash club that was being built, foreman showed us round the job, gave the spark the drawings etc. and left us to it.
About 11 he said he had to go somewhere and disappeared only to return about 4 only to be told to jump in the car and then dropped me at the bosses.
This happened every day till Friday when he said that he might not be back in the afternoon as he was going through a divorce that why he had been disappearing,
At about 4 he did not return so I ended up walking home which was about 10 miles, got in for about 7 that night to which my mother was panicking due to me being late as I was going out with my parents and sister that night.
Went to the bosses house the following Monday to be asked what had happened as the electrician had rung late on Friday to say he had quit to which I thought I had lost my job as well

 

[7029 dave]

I remember it like it was yesterday, 1979 mum packed me off with packed lunch, few hand tools which dad helped me with. Gosh time has passed me by.

 

[PEG]

...Could write a book on some of the things i have seen,over the years...but one of the most satisfying was as a lad of 16,working at an agricultural dealership,in Anglesey,for a bit of experience...cracking on with general duties,welding etc,and itching to drive one of the new/old 4 WD vehicles,in for service/MOT...(Always loved me 4bee's) ...Anywho...old farmer comes in for an MOT...on his Robin Reliant! ...Oh well...it's a car(ish),so gets in it,to assist inspector...

Suddenly,a barrage of abuse,in Welsh,is directed at me,from the company apprentice,not happy about my attendance,and put out by his lack of welding prowess...

So,i hand control of wretched tripod,to smug youth,and slope back to me Oxford Set...

Apprentice does lap of smugness around yard and enters workshop,to place vehicle over the pit......forgetting the important detail regarding REVERSING that model over same....:conehead:

When he finally exited,via the rear door,his afternoon was spent craning the squeezed remains from the pits grasp...

And,even as a petulant 16 year old,i learnt the comforting power,of a wry smile :icon12:

 

[Diddy]

First day - 4 of us fresh faced 16yo lads waited at the counter of the workshop of a local electrical contractor. I was the smallest of all 4 lads so when the sparks came in and picked a lad to take to site....I was left behind lol. So my job for my 1st week ? Painting conduit black and tidying up their stores...all in the company of an old guy who looked about 200yo....but was probably in his 60's lol. I was ready for jacking it in after that 1st week as I thought I would be out changing fuse boards.....lmao. I had another start in the bag with South of Scotland Electricity Board.....anyway on the Friday the old guy says...see ya bright and early on Monday morning Dave you are going to be taken to the local concert hall/council offices which is a 2 year job...and you are going to be with big Andy......Turns out he was a top spark and was running this large job...and now I was his bitch lol. He treated me well, Taught me loads and made sure I was moved round all the other sparks on the job in say monthly stints. You do get a bit more out of working with different guys ect ect. Job was about 10 mins from my house...happy days. After a month I was working till 7.30 3 nights a week and doing full weekends lol...doubled the take home lol
The other lads ? They were sparsely spread all over scotland lmao..one of them was straight into 5am rise to catch the works van lift into work lol.
Initiation was painting the apprentices privates with black enamel paint....I avoided this for about 18 months where as the other lads had all had it done.
Looking back I still think they were a bit sick in the head and it was a bit too far as far as larking about goes.....I point blank refused to get involved in their sexual deviancy as I got older and was expected to join in....I actually "freed" a few lads so they could do a runner from the mob........Funny old world as they would ALL be on the sex offenders register today....and I would be having therapy lol.
My learning experience was fantastic and varied. But I feel the "bullying" aspect I just mentioned - I think it affected how I treat apprentices whenever I have them. I teach lads how to do a good neat tidy job. If after being shown the lad leaves a sloppy job I make them rip it out and redo....tea/dinner breaks cut to catch up. I think I have had about 10 lads who I could say were with me from 16-20....All turned out decent sparks...Blowing my own trumpet, but I am fairly proud of that.

 

[PEG]

Lovely tale,Diddy,like it... I NEVER got the whole "initiation" carry-on,never had it personally,and assisted a few to avoid similar.
Always figured it for deviancy/bullying,and yes,today,some of it would incur serious criminal charges...:bobby:

Yet,on the other side of a like coin,i grew up with Travellers,Gypsies,Farming types,and a great deal of entertainment/straightening,was via one type of fighting or another.

It might be comedy-wrestling...or a stand up,hopefully gloved up...either way,assault,ABH,kidnapping and worse,would easily stick today...yet we loved every bit of it :icon12:

 

[Diddy]

Lovely tale,Diddy,like it... I NEVER got the whole "initiation" carry-on,never had it personally,and assisted a few to avoid similar.
Always figured it for deviancy/bullying,and yes,today,some of it would incur serious criminal charges...:bobby:

Yet,on the other side of a like coin,i grew up with Travellers,Gypsies,Farming types,and a great deal of entertainment/straightening,was via one type of fighting or another.

It might be comedy-wrestling...or a stand up,hopefully gloved up...either way,assault,ABH,kidnapping and worse,would easily stick today...yet we loved every bit of it :icon12:

Oh don't get me wrong in my community with my friends...with my "elders" in MY surroundings...fair play, fair game ect. I just never "got it" at work.....I refer to bullying/humiliation rather than silly practical jokes...long stand, spirit level bubble, Bairning tool, 20mm nipple.....ooops you mean you weren't joking (After I had spat out ---- aff im not daft)....That always was and imho is fair game....

 

[jp1976]

First day started at 8am got put with the biggest up your own --- spark sent off to a factory for full rewire of the lights. go to site he got out the van said get the tools meet me over there, got MY tools went to meet him he said where's my tools ? in the van where you left them imnot your biatch full respect after that showed me allsorts

 

[R G]

Started work as an engineering apprentice , my bike was hoisted right up in the air on a block and tackle I spent ages looking for it , When I got my first weeks pay of the princely sum of £6 I was taken to the local pub at lunch time and had to spend it on drinks for the guys ..

 

[Dcf]

Got sent with an old bear of a guy who was one scary individual.
got sent out to a big country house where old bear beat out the tune to swing the mood on the horn
on the way there( that's when radio2 was really radio 2 pop pickers)
got tasked with making up about 20 pendants(yes you really did have to do this young uns)
got the great idea of using one of they hooked Stanley blades to carry out above task and about cut my thumb off
near finishing time he told me to get the pipe vice in the van.
went downstairs to be confronted with a pipe vice and a bender with a vice on it.
didnt know which was which told him I couldn't find it.
got dragged by the collar downstairs shown the error of my ways to a volley of swearing and a boot in the arse.
after that he stopped behind the wall at the front of the house .wondering what this old duffer was up to I got out the van .he was having a pish at the front door with a dick that wouldn't look out of place on a racehorse to boot!
just about never went back for a second day after all that drama

 

[ga8ry]

First day of work there was 4 of us in the foremans office, he explained what he expected of us etc...... And don't fall for any stupid ****e. One of us went looking for a 8" repopulation tool, one of us feed a full 4m fish tape up a heating duct! Which only left me and another kid who was working with his dad on the site. Anyway I was asked to go for a 20mm nipple. "Not a chance, I'm not falling for that". 6 flights of stairs later I was shown 20mm 25mm nipples, female bushes and anything else that sounded rude!!!! lol

as for iniation we where all standing around waiting for the day to end when one of the other apprentices shouted get him, suddenly to sparks grab him and wrestled him to the ground. They instructed me to get the grease, but I said no that's bad crack. That's when they told me that all afternoon he had been trying to convince them to grease me and that's why they had grabbed him. Needless to say he got greased!!!

that apprentice still couldn't wire lights or put a flanged coupler on the right way even as a fourth year apprentice. It took him 4 attempts at the am2 and for the last year i worked for that company I had to go round keeping an eye on him and fixing his mistakes, of which there where plenty.

Hes as probably a millionaire now while I'm on the same wage as I was on a 3rd year apprentice!!!

 

[Pete999]

First day started at 8am got put with the biggest up your own --- spark sent off to a factory for full rewire of the lights. go to site he got out the van said get the tools meet me over there, got MY tools went to meet him he said where's my tools ? in the van where you left them imnot your biatch full respect after that showed me allsorts

Respect but you wouldn't have got away with that during my time as an apprentice lol

 

[Diddy]

Respect but you wouldn't have got away with that during my time as an apprentice lol

Same as - In fact I most probably would be forced to "correct" an apprentice even now if he did that and said those words. And as I said I consider myself very easy going with the youngsters...But I would never tolerate back chat lol.