Need to vent!

[mickelmaster]

Arghhhh, ive gotten myself into a 4 year cabinet making apprenticeship, all we do is screw stuff together, dont even need to drill holes, usually having a job wouldnt annoy me, but im just about to finish year 12, have high achievement in all my classes, got the award for manual arts and its all for nothing! I couldve started this really boring apprenticeship 2 years ago!!! :(:(:(

[opelblues]

o deery me, looks like you have a job, a pay check, a roof over you head, food on your table, and a car you can drive all your mates around town and its only a apprenticeship. Future income will come from the fact you can quote on jobs, work for your self.

During my first 12 months of my 6 years boiler making apprenticeship - 20 years ago. We weren’t even allowed to crack a ark, let alone grind anything with a power tool. Blueing was the first lesson i learnt. Second year i was allowed to grind back and prep jobs for the 4th years.

The 3rd year I told the boss to ............ a lot of French and move to cattle property's to complete my trade and this is was I learnt blacksmithing, and my last year was in the Australian Army due to court order. Then 4 more years repaying the det. so in conclusion get over yourself and learn and become the best trade’s person you can be and make you family and you friends envious
<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
Yes you did get the hair up on the back of my neck<O:p</O:p

[tea lady]

Don't worry Michael. Its only the first steps on a long road. And sticking to jobs to give them a chance will also stand you in good stead, and looks better on the CV. Does it seem that other people in the company do more interesting things? If not just keep your ears open for other opportunities. And meanwhile do your interesting stuff at home on weekends. :shrug: Its prolly hard finishing year 12 on such a high, then finding you are at the beginning again. :doh: Hang in there. :console:

:)

[masoth]

What Tea Lady said (with bells on). Every one starts somewhere and if you are smart you'll take the chance to watch all going-on about you - when your chance comes to shine you'll be ready and, with luck, surpass the longer serving appies. Stick to it Mate.

soth

[mickelmaster]

Thanks guys, and i know its easier than what some people do/ have done, but it still really annoys me, and although there is other stuff people do in the factory for a full 4 years day in and day out all i will be doing is screwing stuff together, the post was titled need to vent because thats all i had to do, i dont mean offence to anyone, but ive tried so hard to end up in the place i was trying to get away from.

[tea lady]

:? Screwing stuff together for the WHOLE apprenticeship? I thought apprenticeships were supposed to teach you something, not just use you as cheap labour. And when you get the piece of paper that says you're qualified you may as well have got it from a wheeties packet. Do you get to go too trade school and all that? Is there a career path? I'd be looking round for alternatives too if I were you.. And/or complaining to the "who ever is in charge of apprenticeships". Isn't there qualifying standards and stuff? Or is it a case of "educate yourself" these days. :C

Can you go and study somewhere instead? Furniture design maybe? Or Arcitecture even? :shrug: Sounds like you need something for your brain AND your hands. :think:

[Jim Carroll]

Why is it these days that young people think they should start at the top.

Micheal as all have said you are now in the next stage of your life you are now the puppy whao wants to learn more, make the most of your opportunities because one day you may own the company.

If the business you are looking at only do white boxes look further afeild and prove your worth to a joinery that does solid timber work but remember you will still be the first person to push the broom each day.

As they say "Suck it up."

[mickelmaster]

Yeah for the whole apprenticeship, they told the others they would get moved around but they didnt, i go to tafe for studies, but i would really like to have some hands on experience or else its going to be hard to remember, but the only reason i even considered doing this apprenticeship is to get the degree so as soon as i do im gone. I looked to do furniture design but they dont do it by itself and and theres only two solid hardowwd furniture joinerys on the Gold Coast that i could find but they have too many apprentices already :( I dont think i should start at the top, I am sucking it up, im doing the apprenticeship, i said it before twice now, i just needed to vent, i dont mean to offend anyone.

[tea lady]

OK! MM. :2tsup: Hang in there. :cool:

[Dengue]

Here is a golden opportunity for you mickelmaster, don't let it pass by.

Learn to be the fastest, most accurate screwer for a start, so that you are churning out work. Get the manager's attention.

In addition, do some designs on AutoCAD or some other industry software that the foreman probably cannot use, and start using their workshop after hours to build things that will get the managers attention, not the foreman who has been there 20 years getting 20 x 1 years worth of experience.

If you can't get the software, then learn the software that they use in the factory - surely someone can show you after hours how to use it. Just by using some initiative you will attract attention.

Show them what you can do, without interfering with your work. Be keen

regards,
Jill

[mickelmaster]

There really isnt anywhere to go in this company, I plan on doing my best all the way through, but when im done im going to leave if I can.

[corbs]

It might not be an option for you but I am sure I read somewhere that the RAAF were re-introducing carpenters. It was on a signal 6-12 months ago so if its that bad where you are, why not look into it?

[mickelmaster]

Well i was looking at apprenticeships in carpentry previosuly but doing one in cabinet amking qualifies me to do hardwood furniture, but one in capentry doesn not, thanks for the thought though :)

[corbs]

Its probably still not an option for you but the Defence forces generally do things a little different to the outside world. I am in the Navy and in the day we had chippies they did pretty much everything you could do with wood. I have seen some pretty impressive cabinets that were made by MT(H)'s (our old chippies). You would also be able to do courses which would help develop your cabinet making as well. As an example, I have nothing to do with wood in my current job but could do civilian woodworking courses and be re-imbursed a percentage of the course cost. If the training is related to your work in the Defence force and can be justified then the percentage increases (sometimes fully subsidised).

[Gingermick]

so in case you had to build a house and some furniture on a deserted island?
Both my sisters were at Nowra for years with the Navy, it was a good career choice.

[corbs]

so in case you had to build a house and some furniture on a deserted island?
...

Something like that:D

[joe greiner]

What they all said.

When you spend some time in the real world, in any profession, there will be times when you'll be b-o-r-e-d; t-o; d-e-a-t-h. And your professional duties will demand your full attention to such trivia. In the past few days, a couple commercial airplane pilots dropped the ball, and they've now lost their licenses, as well as their livelihood. It could have been worse - much worse.

You'll be right, though, now that you've vented.

Cheers,
Joe

[masoth]

Two saying from the Army: "Hurry up, and wait.", and, "Greatcoats on, greatcoats off." The is need for a lot of patience in the military services.

soth

[Grumpy John]

Michael, I understand your frustration, there is nothing worse than doing a repetitive no-brainer job. The last engineering place I worked would employ 3 - 4 apprentices (fitting & turning) a year, put them on a machine and leave them there for their entire apprenticeship. These kids got to use some of the biggest and best CNC machines I've ever seen, but that's all they knew. At the end of their apprenticeships most of them would leave due to boredom. Unfortunately most came back within 2 months as they were unemployable due to their limited experience.
I agree with the others on one point though, stick with the apprenticeship you're in for the moment, but keep looking for a REAL cabinet making apprenticeship. You may have to look outside your immediate area and be prepared to move to Brissy or elsewhere if there are no real cabinet makers on the GC.
Just think of the future, if you do get an apprenticeship doing real cabinet making you could move back to the GC when you're a tradie and blow those "white box" guys out of the water.

Note to others: I don't think Michael was complaining about working, nor do I think he wanted to start at the top. He just wants an apprenticeship where he can learn ALL facets of the trade, not to be used as cheap labour.

[lightwood]

Arghhhh, ive gotten myself into a 4 year cabinet making apprenticeship, all we do is screw stuff together, dont even need to drill holes, usually having a job wouldnt annoy me, but im just about to finish year 12, have high achievement in all my classes, got the award for manual arts and its all for nothing! I couldve started this really boring apprenticeship 2 years ago!!! :(:(:(
MM,
looks like you aren't rising to the tease from the poor devils that "used to 'ave to get up out of shoebox at twelve o'clock at night and lick road clean wit' tongue" ( Monty Python)
Seems to me a little more sympathy and encouragement is more in order than criticism.

What I have found over the last 20 years is that the past process of finding employment in an apprenticeship has changed, from a self help system to a new type that makes the whole thing into some type of regulated, step by step program. This was done, I believe, without asking the employers if they though it was a good idea.
I know for a fact that in the years between 1980 and about 1990 I had about 1 or 2 young people a month come to my workshop, either with some parental encouragement, or without it, and ask for an apprenticeship in Jewellery making. After the "work experience" program started to take shape, that all changed and it became a rare thing. What I got was parents or schools asking if I take on work experience kids.
At the time this happened what I desperately wanted was a bright young kid to walk into my workshop, look me in the eyes and ask me if I could teach them to be the best jewellery maker they could be. What I got were kids who had no interest, knowledge, talent or enthusiasm for for making anything...let alone making fine handcrafted jewellery.
I could tell you about friends and relations who's kids got good trade apprenticeships by doing as I advise...walk into a workshop, look the proprietor in the eye and ask if there is an opportunity for you to learn to make fine furniture like the stuff they make.
AND btw...that's how I got my first job making jewellery...then at a couple more places before I went out on my own.
So keep at it...look around for the better cabinetmaking workshops, and maybe some similar associated trades...TV or film set makers, Theater / ballet set makers perhaps, and just walk up to them and put your case!

Best of luck,
Peter
Peter McBride Goldsmith Jeweller (http://www.petermcbride.com)

[Foo]

If you do your work well,and when you finish a job early,go to your foreman and ask what's next?Don't ever give them reason to think you're lazy:no: Make it perfectly clear you are keen as anything to learn or do more.If you see a better way or quicker way, of doing things,suggest it!
These are what I used to do,and it got me to section supervisor in different sections of the factory,and input on how to run things.I was in that job for sixteen years.:oo:
If you show initiative,you will be more recognised,for someone to be valued.Be honest about you're stuff ups as well.It takes a bigger person to admit they made a mistake,than to lie about one.:doh:
Life wasn't meant to be easy!!!!:oAnd ain't that the truth!:yesmaster:

[Grumpy John]

Hey MM how's the apprenticeship going? Have they given you any real cabinet making to do yet?

[mickelmaster]

No, ive dropped the apprenticeship and now work for my brother. Im gonna use some of the money I earn to start up a workshop at home instead.

[tea lady]

No, ive dropped the apprenticeship and now work for my brother. Im gonna use some of the money I earn to start up a workshop at home instead.:oo: :shrug: There are many ways to learn. So what's your brother do? :)

[mickelmaster]

He installs and fixes / services Solahart hot water systems so theres some decent money in it and i get to meet all kinds of people and see all kinds of places.

[Enfield Guy]

Be careful on those roofs young man. It's often a long way down, and you often get make the mistake just once. Be safe and stay alive and walking.

Cheers

[mickelmaster]

Yeah im always pretty careful, being doing it since i was a kid so i know what to look out for.

[ian]

Arghhhh, ive gotten myself into a 4 year cabinet making apprenticeship, all we do is screw stuff together, dont even need to drill holes, usually having a job wouldnt annoy me, but im just about to finish year 12, have high achievement in all my classes, got the award for manual arts and its all for nothing! I couldve started this really boring apprenticeship 2 years ago!!! :(:(:(if you're that good academicly, why are you doing an apprenticeship?

most of the Australian cabinet making industry is about kitchens and wardrobes made from veneered particle board. You're going to struggl finding an apprenticeship in a place that works solid wood.

If you really want to get into "proper" furniture & cabinetmaking you should investigate the courses offered at Sturt Sturt School for Wood (http://www.sturt.nsw.edu.au/woodschool.htm) where you can get your certificate IV in 12 months, rather than 4 years

The Australian wood Review site has a list of other courses Australian Wood Review - Schools and Courses (http://www.woodreview.com.au/courses/)

[Ozkaban]

:whs:

Do your studies now and get them over with. It's much easier than dropping full time work and coming back when you ahve bills and commitments. Believe me - that's the way I did it and if it wasn't for a *very* suppoertive partner and her family I couldn't have done it.

That course is an excellent one by all accounts. I'd do it myself, but I couldn't afford to take a year off... It might be in NSW southern highlands, but a reasonable part time job, shared accomodation and you'll have a blast of a year and learn heaps. Then you'll be in a good position to work with some place that does custom furniture...

cheers,
Dave