# Number 1 Reason Apprentices Don't Work Out



## BigD (Jan 22, 2010)

Just Wondering the reasons apprentices dont work out


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*thats easy.....*

thats easy...

1.no transportation to work

2.cant make it to work on time

3 cant dress themselves, refuse to dress neat and 
refuse to wear a belt..... 

4 cant take constructive criticism ...
5 refuse to pick up a book and learn on thier own

6 most refuse to go to apprentice training and learn anything
unless its forced on them (my experinece with them)

7 refuse to ask for directions before they screw something 
up... ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK



8 many stand around all morning long smokeing cigarettes
till they are told to go clean up the trucks

9 many are on drugs and booze...
and think their boss cant tell

cant pass a drug test..



my list goes on and on.....


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## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

1. Lazyness.
2. Ignorance.
3. Entitlement issues.
4. Arrogance.
5. Never had a foot in their ass for any of these character flaws. 
6. Never had to work for anything.

I just read an article on Dunbars Facebook page titled: " A differant kind of drug problem". That article pretty much summed it up.


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Mine wanted me to spot em $1000 ,,,, after 2 weeks ,,, so he could get his Girlfriend out of jail . 

AND ,,, what the other guys said !


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

My reasons are a bit different because I deal with kids in the Navy but I'd have to say lack of motivation is my biggest gripe. Kids today have little work ethic which affects everything. First thing they do when getting out the truck is smoke or tell story. They don't want to be involved with the process but all they know is to be spoon fed the process of work. I have 28 troops under me ranging from 18-26 and I've only found 2 that are worth a nickel. i'd fire the rest in a heart beat and save the taxpayer dollars if I could. The rest would rather stay in the office and sweep the floor then wonder why they don't get to go to the job site.

When meeting the fng, I always ask them to pick one of three choices:

which are you?
-those who make things happen
-those who think about making things happen
-those who wonder what the hell just happened

Most say option 1 but after a week on the jobsite, they self admittely pick option 3.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

Bad employees are what they are. We will always have to weed thru bums and deviates to get good help.

My biggest problem is what I call the 2nd year syndrome. After you have invested 2 years in training the little turds. They generally start to feel sorry for themselves. They feel they know just as much as their journeyman and feel they do all the work for less money and no company truck. This is generally when they feel like the grass is greener somewhere else. They start showing up late and doing half ass work if any at all. That's when they get FIRED.


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## copperhead (Dec 26, 2009)

Fear of the shovel.........:laughing:.


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## Everflow (Feb 1, 2010)

Journeyman that don't have the patience or skill to teach.


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## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

i think there is a certain level of skill that is required even for first day guys, if you dont have common or at the least some knowledge, you wont learn fast enough to keep a job.


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## njoy plumbing (May 19, 2009)

Master Mark said:


> thats easy...
> 
> 1.no transportation to work
> 
> ...


This should be 1st read for an apprentice when he goes to tech shcool.
Amen Brother
Remember this is only for the ones that don't work out.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

copperhead said:


> Fear of the shovel.........:laughing:.


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## Bayside500 (May 16, 2009)

RealLivePlumber said:


> YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.


best game ever :thumbup:


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## Leviathan (Mar 14, 2010)

Everflow said:


> Journeyman that don't have the patience or skill to teach.


This was my experience. I survived through sheer will and refusal to quit. My experience with 2 of the journeymen of the five or six I worked under was a game of deliberate sabatoge and undermining. I will never forget it. Old school teaching and a boot in the ass is what I expected. Not deliberate sabatoge.

After I acquired more skills and moved to a better company, both of them eventually tried to follow me. But I let the bosses know of their track records.

I still owe one of them a beating.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*I had that happen too......*



Cal said:


> Mine wanted me to spot em $1000 ,,,, after 2 weeks ,,, so he could get his Girlfriend out of jail .
> 
> AND ,,, what the other guys said !


Cal...I had the same thing too, with a loser that worked for me... his wife went to jail for a drunk and disorderly then mouthed off to the judge... he gave he a month to think about it in jail.....:laughing::laughing:

of course this dumbass now had two kids to deal with while momma was in jail and expected me to understand.
I should help him out somehow.....:yes::yes: 

I finally got rid of him and got the truck back without incident..


they are all fried on some kind of drugs... 


good times, good times.


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## bartnc37 (Feb 24, 2009)

Nothing more pleasant than the mid to low level management with the upper level ego and the people skills of a 3rd grade bully. There are very few employees worth having that will put up with that for long. That said, there are some incredibly worthless apprentices but hey, they didn't hire themselves.


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## Don The Plumber (Feb 14, 2010)

1-When you take on a larger than normal job, or a job that must be completed that day, your stressed a bit cuz you know it will be a long day, even if things go well, & the apprentice walks in first thing, & says he's gotta leave early that day.

2- when the apprentice will tell you in the middle of a job, that he needs a certain day off, or has to leave early 2 or 3 days from now, or next week,or whenever, & expects it to become my #1 priority to now remember what day he told me. All this after I have to say a 1000 times, "WRITE IT DOWN", & I will give you whatever you need.By him telling me, he thinks now, no written notice is needed. (Lazy).

3- Being late, is bad enough. Not caring that their late, or ever doing anything about their tardiness takes the cake. 
90% of trouble I have experienced with apprentices, is being late. Their too stupid to realize that by me, or any other journey, or Master,that is suppose to be patient,:whistling2: & teach them, that waiting for,:whistling2: or starting without them, pisses you off, from the get go, in the morning. Then anything else that happens that day pushes you over the edge. 
But it's always our fault because we don't have enough patience, to wait for them each morning, cuz they can't get their lazy a$$ out of bed in time.Thought never crosses their minds, that being late,holds me up, affects my whole day, & my final outcome. No they just think I love to complain, & have no patience.


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## WaterBoy (Mar 4, 2010)

I am 22 and an apprentice. I graduated H.S in 2007 and I have seen most of my peers head in the wrong direction in life. There is about a handful of them that will succeed in this life. I think it's my generation that will be out of work and not willing to work in the years to come. I had perfect attendance throughout H.S. and I never miss a day of work. 

As for an apprentice or any work related job, the person just wants to float through work and collect his paycheck at the end of the week. All of you have hit the main points on this topic. As for the apprentices that want to learn the trade, I believe the journeyman should train and teach the apprentice properly. Then, the business will benefit later on when the apprentice obtains his license. 

My generation has it made compared to you older men in this forum. It's sad to see where this country and this generation is going.


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

Some don't have the mechanical aptitude.

Some don't have the drive to succeed.

Some don't have the mental ability to take it from an iso to an install.

Some wait all day on quitting time.

The above have short careers in my organization.


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## ranman (Jan 24, 2010)

the apprentices we get are for the most part good. 
as we are union the guys come from the hall, you can request the requirements.

i can say since i have been on both sides union and non union, the union apprentices are more professional, and willing to learn. not just looking for a job.


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## Scott K (Oct 12, 2008)

I hate it when the apprentice takes an hour long shat.


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## braindead (May 29, 2010)

As long as I been in the trade a new hire was required to have a torpedo level, a ruler or tape and a pair of adjustable pliers.

I had one that I was tired of lending him my tape and told him if he didn't show up the next day with a ruler or tape to keep on going, he showed up with a 12in rule!

I had another one that couldn't read a rule, he would count all the black marks to get his measurment. 

Another one, high school grad. couldn't add fractions; ( I think he was one of those "No Child Left Behind" students.) 

It's getting worse!


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

braindead said:


> As long as I been in the trade a new hire was required to have a torpedo level, a ruler or tape and a pair of adjustable pliers.
> 
> I had one that I was tired of lending him my tape and told him if he didn't show up the next day with a ruler or tape to keep on going, he showed up with a 12in rule!
> 
> ...


 My younger brother just recently started in the trade with me. He couldn't put a nut on a bolt 2 years ago. Literally. 

I don't require him to have any tools yet, mainly cause there ain't no room on my truck, but at least put a freaking tape measure on your belt. There are like 5 of them on the truck. :furious: Don't be asking for mine when I call out a measurement.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

1. Poor hiring practices.
2. Unrealistic expectations.
3. Thinking everyone should be as passionate about your business as you are.
4. Poor/bad management skills.
5. Lack of communication.
6. Low pay.
Shall I go on.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

I forgot to ad. Searching internet for helpful resources and coming across this thread, and realizing that you employer thinks your a worthless piece of crap.


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

WaterBoy said:


> I am 22 and an apprentice. I graduated H.S in 2007 and I have seen most of my peers head in the wrong direction in life. There is about a handful of them that will succeed in this life. I think it's my generation that will be out of work and not willing to work in the years to come. I had perfect attendance throughout H.S. and I never miss a day of work.
> 
> As for an apprentice or any work related job, the person just wants to float through work and collect his paycheck at the end of the week. All of you have hit the main points on this topic. As for the apprentices that want to learn the trade, I believe the journeyman should train and teach the apprentice properly. Then, the business will benefit later on when the apprentice obtains his license.
> 
> My generation has it made compared to you older men in this forum. It's sad to see where this country and this generation is going.


 I would KILL for one like you ! Keep it up !!! :thumbup:


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

Indie said:


> 1. Poor hiring practices.
> 2. Unrealistic expectations.
> 3. Thinking everyone should be as passionate about your business as you are.
> 4. Poor/bad management skills.
> ...


Oh cry me a river. Show me 10 crappy apprentices and prolly 8 of em will play one of the cards that you laid out above. Boo hoo. My boss expects too much, he wants me to give a ****, doesn't manage me properly, doesn't draw me a crayola picture of what he wants, and I don't make enough money to work this hard.

It's all part of payin your dues. Get to work. Ask questions if you don't know. Be efficient. FIND something to do. Sweep the floor...


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

Matt said:


> Oh cry me a river. Show me 10 crappy apprentices and prolly 8 of em will play one of the cards that you laid out above. Boo hoo. My boss expects too much, he wants me to give a ****, doesn't manage me properly, doesn't draw me a crayola picture of what he wants, and I don't make enough money to work this hard.
> 
> It's all part of payin your dues. Get to work. Ask questions if you don't know. Be efficient. FIND something to do. Sweep the floor...


All I did was respond to a thread. Why you gotta be so rough on me, I got feelings too.:lol:


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Master Mark said:


> thats easy...
> 
> 1.no transportation to work
> 
> ...


Those are just symptoms Mark...:whistling2:

When you break it down to the root causes it usually turns out to be one of 2 things...

1.) A manure impacted cranium....

Or,

2.) A sphincter necklace they are wearing...


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*it does amaze me*

I have sent 3 fellas to apprentice school over the years
only to see them quit usually after the first semester....

most cant afford the class so I usually get stuck paying 
the bill..... I had one idiot make it through 3 semesters only
to quit and move down to kentucky to live in a trailer on the side of a hill....




I have not minded trying to help them out and help them
better themselves, but now I 
just wont waste my time and money on them anymore..



piss on them....

I would rather buy lottery tickets..:laughing:.


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## WaterBoy (Mar 4, 2010)

Master Mark said:


> I have sent 3 fellas to apprentice school over the years
> only to see them quit usually after the first semester....
> 
> most cant afford the class so I usually get stuck paying
> ...


Wow. I did not know some of the apprentices around here in Indiana are that bad.


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## Leviathan (Mar 14, 2010)

Check out my apprentice in these videos. He never comes dressed for work.

Levi




http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/5842509


http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/5839627


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## JA Plumbing (Jun 1, 2010)

*entitlement syndrome*

Here in California it has been a giant pain to hire people that actually work for their paycheck. I have gotten a handful of good guys now and they let me know right away if the guy they are training won't work out. My policy is if you don't have the basic tools within the first 3 weeks then you aren't committed to learning and making this your career.

On the other hand I have had guys come in and interview for Service Tech positions that said "I don't dig, I don't crawl under houses" so it's not just apprentices that are the problem. It is a general lack of motivation in our current society. I don't think age has anything to do with it. Our office manager is 21 and has been with us for two years. She ran circles around the previous lady we had who had 10 years experience in a plumbing company.


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## wundumguy (Apr 3, 2010)

ranman said:


> the apprentices we get are for the most part good.
> as we are union the guys come from the hall, you can request the requirements.
> 
> i can say since i have been on both sides union and non union, the union apprentices are more professional, and willing to learn. not just looking for a job.


I think this kind of ironic.

On the one hand, it's somewhere between impossible and nearly impossible for someone with zero union affiliation to get a UA apprenticeship. On the other hand, you are trying to convince us that the children, relatives, best friends, and brothers of girlfriends of UA members.. meaning the guys who got in through the old boys network, make for better apprentices?

I'm just kidding around! Really, I'm just joking!


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## ranman (Jan 24, 2010)

wundumguy said:


> I think this kind of ironic.
> 
> On the one hand, it's somewhere between impossible and nearly impossible for someone with zero union affiliation to get a UA apprenticeship. On the other hand, you are trying to convince us that the children, relatives, best friends, and brothers of girlfriends of UA members.. meaning the guys who got in through the old boys network, make for better apprentices?
> 
> I'm just kidding around! Really, I'm just joking!


our union hires off the street, if you can pass the test. i held a masters from michigan no union for 15 yrs. and went right into the union here.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*it is ....what it is*



WaterBoy said:


> Wow. I did not know some of the apprentices around here in Indiana are that bad.


it is why no one wants to hire anyone anymore......

for one thing it is mandatory that we have to send them to apprentice school... and they dont want to go, its just a
stupid job to them....


 and natrually after a few months of it
just like with High School, they usually quit....

and if I pay for the course, quitting is their way of 
getting even with the boss


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## breid1903 (Feb 8, 2009)

my neighbor is an older carpenter. working on a job at grissom air base. got laid off last fall. told the boss he did not know how to run a job. was a general ass. got called back as it never got cold here. middle of jan when it got cold (to him) he tell the boss that he is taking 2 weeks off to help them out as it's to cold to work. everyone else stayed. comes back boss cans him. it's the bosses fault to hear him tell it. lol. this bozo quit on the chrysler plant in kokomo because he didn't want to walk back and forth to get the recp saw. wanted his personal saw. you just can't make this stuff up. lol. glad i don't have employees anymore. breid........:rockon:


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*probably gets 18 months unemployment*



breid1903 said:


> my neighbor is an older carpenter. working on a job at grissom air base. got laid off last fall. told the boss he did not know how to run a job. was a general ass. got called back as it never got cold here. middle of jan when it got cold (to him) he tell the boss that he is taking 2 weeks off to help them out as it's to cold to work. everyone else stayed. comes back boss cans him. it's the bosses fault to hear him tell it. lol. this bozo quit on the chrysler plant in kokomo because he didn't want to walk back and forth to get the recp saw. wanted his personal saw. you just can't make this stuff up. lol. glad i don't have employees anymore. breid........:rockon:


 
they know how to work the system... they all got a good sob story

truth be known
he has unemployment benefits now going out for another 18 months, and is picking up all sorts of side jobs that should be going to real companies...

same with the laid off plumbers


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