Taking on an apprentice

[needasparks]

It is pot luck with youngsters though but you do find out quite early if they are cut out for it, you just have to think back to when you were young. what they lack in any skills normally is made up in effort and IMO thats all that counts.
My last one i had straight from school, that was six years ago and now is a very good sparks.
I picked him above all the letters i got week in and out because he went out of his way by putting cards in wholesalers and everywhere else i went i kept seeing his card. This to me stood out and well deserved a chance. sometimes you just know you have made the right choice.

 

[DurhamSparky]

i currently have an apprentice..

NO FUNDING AVAILABLE!!!!

but he is worth his weight in gold!! recently advanced to changing CU and next step is testing!! only in first year as well!!

 

[needasparks]

Its quite fun letting them do the first cu. theres nothing they can break or that cant be corrected if its done wrong so good to let them just get on with it. I think they learn more on their own doing one than watching a hundred being done.
Must admit I tape up everywhere over the head for them flying cpc's crashing around. lol

 

[baldelectrician]

Mine can do a cu change and test it, he has been with me for over 2 years

When I check it it's neater than mine , and done correctly

I do like watching him work away (after proving dead etc) and popping the megger on insulation at 250v just to see him jump

 

[Welchyboy]

That's really good to hear and encouraging, that's exactly what I want, I have a few to see next week for a chat, I hope one will turn out like the above examples, think I will go for a youngster.

If I can get him putting in cu's after a year or two, neater than me....he may actually earn me a few quid too!

 

[needasparks]

Fingers crossed for you.
despite the theme of lazy youngsters there are still some keen go getters out there. You just have to find one fella.
heaven knows how full your inbox is by now.
Just don't expect much feed back from the first chat but tell them how clean you like your van

Some tips in this thread for any want to be sparks reading. see its not all doom and gloom just go that extra mile to make yourself stand out from the rest. Oh and lastly, please don't get your mum to ring all the companies for you, you would not believe how many do and what does that say about you.

 

[Guest111]

Looking to take on an apprentice. Anyone got any tips on what to look for. Going to give the person a trial run and see how they get on.

try a few simple electrical questions at interview that will give you an idea,anyone wanting to be a sparks should at least have read up on the job.watch out for the college boys though,some of them are terrible,heard some real horror stories,my last lad came to me with an assignment he couldn,t understand,he was a bright kid so it had me puzzled why he was struggling anyway the drawing he was given was completely wrong.turned out the instructor was on long term sick leave and his so called replacement was only level 2 qualified with virtually no experience.Kind of the blind leading the partially sited.

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

When I was in my 2nd year, I was out of work and my college advisor told me that I came with £2000 funding if a company took me on. That narf got me a job quick.

 

[vernam616]

The company i used to work for used to take around 3 on every year, and they always seemed to be lifeless idiots

No motivation, inititive or a brain, had the odd one which you can usually tell on the first day whether or not they will ever be anything

Problem nowadays is they expect it all on a plate for them and think it all comes too easy, when they started working at 16 yr old, they were instantly paid £150 per week !

When i was training it was £30 a week and it sure did make you work hard because you wanted to be taken on after the 2 years and earn some better money.

We had one apprentice who had been with us for around 2 years, constantly on his phone, messing simple things up, best i ever seen was when he was asked to remove a cavity wall box from a brand new wall which hadnt even been plastered, he took a hammer to the wall to remove it !, he was sacked shortly afterwards to no surprise

 

[Farmelectrics]

Is there anyone looking to take an apprentice on in the Merseyside area my nephew is looking to become a sparky like my self and his grandad