Taking on an apprentice

[FROSTYR1]

Hi i have a question regarding a young lad who would like to be a carpenter with my company. I havent advertised a postion for a job he contacted me with regard to a possible vacancy. He lives locally to me and seems keen from what his c.v. says he has already done. My question is as i'm a sole trader with enough work to keep me busy with 3 years trading behind me will i have enough work on a regular basis for him to train him properly? sometimes i have quite weeks, Also i would like him to join the C.I.T.B if i take him on so he gets the best training with college e.t.c.plus i get some funding to support him.

Any pointers would be grateful because i am in a bit of a dilema anybody done this please can you advise me.

[wanty1974]

Talk to your local council, depending on where you live you will get rather a lot of support for taking on trainees, particularly in essential skills such as yours. This should not only cover your costs in paying him and perhaps doing less work yourself, but will also help him weather the storm if work is thin on the ground.

[wolf1]

Go down to the local job centre and find out what schemes are around. Training 2000 is one of them I believe. Now as far as i'm aware the goverment pay a proportion of his wage so this will help with the cost of employing him. Next thing is be careful about the wording apprentice as under employment law they are a virtual protected species. Doesn't matter how useless they are you can't get rid of them.

Edited to add:- sorry Wanty you'd already covered most of it. Must remember to drink more coffee in the morning before posting

>> Edited by wolf1 on Friday 29th April 09:14

[simpo two]

[redacted]

[wanty1974]

BTW, if I could give it all up and do something more 'useful' than marketing pies, being either a carpenter or sparky would be top of my list. A wonderful skill to have, is yours!

[obiwonkeyblokey]

why dont you get ten of them together, set a series of tests and then eliminate one every week until you find the best!!

seems like a proven theory to me.

[Size Nine Elm]

obiwonkeyblokey said:

why dont you get ten of them together, set a series of tests and then eliminate one every week until you find the best!! seems like a proven theory to me.

Get it televised too - you could call it 'Plane Idol'

[FROSTYR1]

Thanks for all the replys i will check with the local council and Job Centre. I would like to give him a try out defo first to see if we both get on and could work together its been a while for me as have worked on my jack for a while now. I must say i am glad he contacted me as that is how i got my first carpentry job looked through yellow pages and selected a company.

I agree about the rights of an apprentice to be honest in my second year the training i was given wasnt very good and my boss probably only took me on for the money he was getting to have me. So i would like to give some proper training for him this time round.

LOL! at obiwonkyblokey sounds like a good idea to me...not sure if it would work in practice though!

>> Edited by FROSTYR1 on Friday 29th April 13:31

[FROSTYR1]

Thanks Wanty1974 i do love my job its nice to have a job which feels like a hobby as well. Its never too late to start training..do you want a job.??