So what's this forum about then?

Discussion in 'Apprentice Talk' started by Jord86, Jan 27, 2019.

  1. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select

    Apprentices?

    Lazy, mobile phone addicted, can't get out of bed, can't make a decent cup of tea, think the world owes them a living, whinge about heavy lifting, whinge about the weather, whinge about everything, think once they qualify they deserve the same pay as a 30year experienced tradesman, arrive late and leave early, can't use a tape measure, struggle with simple maths yet can add up their pay, speak with "bro slang" rather than the English language, talk like they are lothario with the opposite sex though they are completely inept, etc etc. Honestly, why even bother?

    I have met a couple of good'uns, though ;)
     
  2. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Hit the nail on the head..:)

    But,to be fair there are some who are good, & others I just wouldn't waste my time with..
     
  3. blarblarblarblar

    blarblarblarblar Active Member

    That is not just apprentices, many of the so called qualified are the same, only seems to be the ones that have or are self employed have any real need to work.
     
    njm and KIAB like this.
  4. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    That's unfortunately very true, I've found a lot of foremen are like it too, once they've got a position where they can get away with being lazy and palm off a lot of their work on the gullibility of others, the majority of them do so.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  5. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Very true.
     
  6. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Also believe a sweeping brush is some kind of a tool used by those subject to modern slavery.
     
    kitfit1, KIAB and Jord86 like this.
  7. DIY womble

    DIY womble Well-Known Member

    Not just the young , went to help plastering 8 bed HMO , the chap had got two others as well , all hands on deck for a quick turnaround , his mate (55) ,"experienced" painter was to labour for us , was told to use him for whatever I wanted
    Couldn't carry one end of a plasterboard without dropping the corner etc , took a whole day to overboard a lathe ceiling , had to repeat and explain instructions every twice and this continued all day with no improvement, constantly on his phone and every excuse to talk/delay having to do anything. the only thing that surprised me was his speed at actually running up the stairs to get his jacket for a lift home after struggling with asthma all day long in between having a Cig
    Old or young , some people just see work as the challenge of doing as little as poss , this guy had the experience of a pro and it was sickening to watch
     
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  8. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    It doesn't win me many friends but if someone is a lazy tard then I will tell them to their face no matter what age they are, usually followed by a choice to pitch in and sweat with everyone, or to sod off and find another workplace, as they're not wanted. I would always favour an inexperienced conscientious 18year old apprentice over an experienced malingering tradesman any day of the week. You can't trust 'lazy.'
     
    DIY womble likes this.
  9. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Was on a job years ago,ended up labouring for a plasterer,not a pleasant experience, who had around 20 years of experience according to him,he was slow & messy,painful to watch,the client grandfather who was in his 80's was watching with intrest,words got exchanged,& everything came to a head, old chap took off his coat,& gave him a lesson in the art of plastering,(he started in the trade at about 14), it was wonderful to watch, a master of his trade.:)
    Plasterer never came back next day.:D
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2019
    BillyBobToo, Heat, Jord86 and 2 others like this.
  10. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Remind me innit, when did we meet bro!
    Av to get outa bed in a mo, me fone needs chargin.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2019
    Jord86 and DIY womble like this.
  11. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Dats sick man.
     
  12. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    R U dissin me?
     
  13. goldenboy

    goldenboy Super Member

    Nah bruv
     
  14. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

    Worked on a site many years ago where the site foreman's only construction trade skill was the ability to drive a rough terrain forklift truck. His only other ability was the gift of the gab ( and sucking up to higher management)
     
  15. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    Had it on the last site I was on, fat lazy sly incompetent tard of a bloke who'd suck up to site management and the carpentry boss to try to secure himself an easy ride, at the expense of sacrificing the blokes grafting away building the houses. He would speak very eloquently, and come across all nicey nicey but it was all cobblers, he'd throw his own mother under the bus to ensure he didn't have to sweat, lost count how many arguments I had with him. He would slyly try to get my apprentice at the time to go round and check items in houses that was his supervisory responsibility to do so, such as expansion gaps along the flooring, nails in joist hangers etc, when I found out I gave him both barrels and embarrassed him in front of the site team, total cock he was.
     
    KIAB and DIY womble like this.
  16. sospan

    sospan Screwfix Select

    Sadly the construction industry isn't the "home" of such behaviour and people. The number of times I have encountered people in all professions that would do the world a huge benefit by staying at home and watching TV than coming into work.

    One place I was given a team over 110 people. Within 4 months, I had sacked, persuaded to leave or redeployed most of the dead wood, incompetents, those trying to play the system etc. Once they were gone, the productivity and morale of the 65 remaining was higher than when all the other people were there.

    The problem we have in this country is not the lack of skilled people it is the number of useless, lazy, incompetent people slowing down the work.
     
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  17. kitfit1

    kitfit1 Screwfix Select

    Yep, never met an electrician that had any comprehension of what a broom might be used for......................and even if he had the slightest inkling he didn't own one anyway. I can safely say that in all the time i have been fitting kitchens, i have never once walked into a room without having to clear out and clean up every other trades **** before starting my own job. Never yet met an electrician that is capable of drilling their own holes in cabs for sockets either for that matter.
     
    Dan dan the man and KIAB like this.
  18. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    I wonder what I was like? The two lads who started two years after me, everyone seemed to think lad A was going to be the good guy, he knew so much when he started, but lad B actually turned out better, he learnt what he was taught in collage.

    In the Falklands I had two guys, I was told to decide which to give a second contract to, one guy was really a good electrician, the other had picked it up, and first thoughts was select the good guy, however he was also a lazy so and so, where the other guy was really to be trusted, he would say when he had a problem, not hide it, so I selected the semi-skilled.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  19. BikerChris

    BikerChris Active Member

    Only adding to the moan a bit, I had a kiddie on-site helping with demolition. he was alright at knocking walls down but not keen on picking the buggers up! Also we had to clean bricks, I did a pile in 20 minutes and to make the same pile it took him an hour and a half. he was a very clever kid though, quiet and i reckon he'll be a mathematician when older (and yeah I had to spell check the long math word). All well and good but no use on site unless he enjoys it. May be I was the same digging foundations - rose tinted glasses and all that
     
  20. gas monkey

    gas monkey Well-Known Member

    one lad 23 had to lay 4 curb buiscets 18" x18" around a 2" pipe
    it was dug out
    concrerte in
    all he had to do was lay it square and level after 4hrs 20 min he walked of site when my back was turned and went to the site agent and told him no one was showing him how to do it
    hed done it the day before
    i had shown him
    another opo showed him again ,did it and that was this 10 hr day done
    were do they come from
     
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