We don't hire apprentices too often because we are only a small shop. We've found it's better to get lads/lasses on recommendation from people we know and then do a very thorough extended interview.
Obviously we've had a few a few dipsticks, but over the years we've had some really good ones. My best mechanic now was my apprentice.
The problem is, that often what would be the brightest and best apprentice material tends to stay on at school, get A levels and go to University.

Tom W

My son tried to get into 3 colleges last year. All of them commented on his potential GCSE grades being TOO GOOD! The college he wanted to go to, didn't even get back to him with details! When he rang them to confirm his grades (All A's & B's) they told him all the places had gone. Bear in mind, he'd had to find his own garage placement, and he was the first to put his name down for the course!!? grrrr

After several lengthy and soul searching conversations, he finally saw sense and after 10mths plastering he's bring home £150 per week and loving it.

Sorry? What was that... Coat?... Door?

ok, ok I'm going.....

Over the years I have had a couple of female apprentices that have been very good,they have a lot of enthusiasm to learn and compete with the lads, but as usual they all end up leaving for better paid jobs.

Graham

A lot of them as said go because they are not bright enough to do anything else, and so are pushed to vocational type training, but its the schools & careers advisors pushing them to do it not so much the parents, I work at a local college teaching P/T, and we give an exam to try and weed out the bad ones, but i was told by an IV that every student has the right to further education teaching in a subject they choose.
They dont understand how much theory is involved and how much technical information they need to understand. A lot of our students find reading and writing & maths a struggle, hence the reason for Key skills teaching.
I wont go on any more but before coming into teaching, i thought it was the colleges do crapp training, now i know its the students who just cant be bothered, its a little longer before they need to go out and work for a living so they are happy.
Jim

steve

Sure, its not much but it is an incentive.

Sure, I get paid (as a trainer) but I only have an apprentice 1 day per week - the workshop has them the other 4 days!! Do you expect them to be churning out the same hours per job as a trained technician??

Our charge for 6 months of training is $285.00 plus they pay for their text books (once only cost - approx. $160) plus their workbooks (average price is $10 per module - they pay it, not the workshop - self education claimed back on income tax). Is that such a huge expense to you even if you paid the training fee (many employers pay the training fee on successful completion at the end of each year)??????

Just curious re your apprenticeship system

Cheers

Cheers Andy E

Hope I can again contribute to this great site.

Cheers

Hmm - I'd like a nice place like the Caribbean but I wouldn't dare be naughty again as I may get Stalag 13