If there's one thing that bites about being a first year apprentice it's all the time you spend sweeping floors, cleaning up and organizing materials. The reason, of course, that new apprentices often do those jobs is because they don't know how to do a lot of other things. (And because an apprentice's hourly rate is low. No need for a journeyman to spend the company's money at twice the rate to get floors swept!)
Six months into my first year I've learned that what your foreman thinks about apprentices is just as important as how much you know when it comes to work assignments. The sub-foreman I'm working under right now is great. I've shown that I'm capable of doing a lot of things and he lets me do them. He'll give me assignments to run pipe just like anybody else and let me get it done because he knows I can. He'll give me the plans and let me and the brand-new R-worker pull wire. I get to do things like this without anybody standing over me because I've shown I'll get it done.
I'm not saying I never sweep or organize materials or walk the whole jobsite looking wire scraps. It's just that I only have to do those things when there are a lot of wire scraps laying around that need to be cleaned up, the material area is a mess or the floors are dirty - never as busy work.
Not everybody you'll work under is like that. Some foremen and sub-foremen out there think the only thing a first year apprentice is good for is menial tasks. Again, I MORE than happy to do things like sweeping and cleaning when they need to be done. But let me say straight out, being told to walk around again looking for trash that electricians made after you just spent an hour doing that, finished up and went to your boss to ask for something else to do is annoying.
As a first year apprentice you have to learn not to let that kind of thing bother you. You work hard and pay attention so that you can impress the people that are willing to let you go as far as you can, skill wise. For the few out there that don't have any interest in seeing what you're actually capable of the best you can do is just do what your asked to do and remember that in a few years this won't be the problem.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is what I am referring too. I do not want to get in to the trade to become the maid or the gofer. I am in the trade to apply what I have learned. I feel that I can become more experienced at the trade within a year by applying the knowledge that was taught to me in the classroom. Instead of sweeping and running errons for a year. I can clean up and run errons at home. This isn't the training that I need. whats up with this out dated technique?
ReplyDeleteWilliam, I think the first experiences of any apprentice or R-worker or "helper" can all point to Griffin's very apt description. I don't think it's so much out-dated, but more of a matter of trust. Unfortunate as it seems, the higher-paid guy on the job is usually the one who's ultimately responsible for the work that gets done -- whether he installed it or his apprentice. So when a new person comes on the job, it always takes some time to assess his skills. (And "skills" also includes how well two people can jibe. If a greenhorn for instance is very receptive to hints and suggestions about how to do great work, then he's more than likely going to get a chance to do it. But if there's at all a sour attitude, then maybe not so much.) I agree with you on the point that you can learn a lot within a year by simply doing the work. I'd also assert that you learn a heck of lot too by watching what's going on around you. Watching other AJs in how they perform their tasks, how some people walk back and forth to the material pile for stuff they need, and how others are always prepared, how one guy uses tricks he's learned over the years, and how another guy struggles with the same installation. There is a lot of value to being the low guy on the totem pole -- you get to watch and see the pitfalls before you reach them. Before you know it, you'll be the one who has a helper and you'll remember where you are now. You probably won't use him the way you're being used, and it will make you that much better of a mechanic.
ReplyDeleteWell said Tarn,
ReplyDeleteI'd like to add a bit of perspective as somewhat of a veteran of the trade / apprenticeship. Often it seems that there is a resentment that builds when new apprentices are asked to "sweep" or "organize materials" etc. I've always found it helpful to remind myself that while its easy to allow yourself to feel that "cleaning" or "running errands" makes you a "maid" or a "gopher", it's more correct (and healthier) to remember that those tasks are part of the job... No one made a mess just so that they could send you to clean it up. Just as no one intentionally throws away a box of couplings so that they can send you for more. These tasks are necessary, and in fact doing them as an apprentice makes the contractor more profitable which in turn allows him / her to bid more work.........
It would be a waste of resources to have an executive chef cleaning dishes in a restaurant, however the restaurant cannot do business unless the dishes get done. Consider this William, are those tasks that bug you so much really degrading? Or is that just your perception? In my opinion they're simply less glamourus NECESSARY jobs that must be done in order for the crew to keep up a pace that befits a union labor force.
Perhaps if you yourself started to recognize the value of work (ANY work) you might not be agitated when you are asked to do these things. With patience, professionalism and a good attitude, it will be no time before you are putting your training to use on the more glamourus parts of the trade. Until then I humbly suggest that you keep in mind that there is dignity in all work........... Even when the work is that of a maid. You did not get into the trade to be a maid or a gopher I understand..... But whats wrong with being the gopher sometimes if that is what the team needs to be successful?
Sean
A little late to the game, but...
ReplyDeleteIn a bit of a response I just wanted to say that I certainly don't mind cleaning and organizing. It needs to be done and I know it's silly to have a more experienced, higher paid worker doing it. I'm happy to do anything I'm asked to do.
Maybe it didn't come across in my post but the point I was trying to make was that I'm frustrated when somebody, an AJ, foreman or otherwise, thinks that the only thing I'm good for is the cleaning and organizing.
Don't have me sweep a clean floor or organize an already organized material room if there's other work out there that I can do.
Griffin,
ReplyDeleteJust to be clear, my post was in response to William's comments. Keep up the great blog.
Sean