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Overworkd Appie
02-12-2007, 10:55 PM
Hey guys im new to this site ;),I just recently started an apprenticeship at a company called Kingtec here in Duban South Africa.When I went for the interview I was told Id be doing mainly electrical work yet im doing mainly mechanical work.There is only 4 guys at the company,Me,one guy in management and two guys that do the work.

The first week there I clocked up 35 hours over time,I worked 36 hours straight one day with about 10 minutes sleep.Im not getting shown to much im more of a tool boy as these guys are working dam hard mainly on breakdowns so they dont have time to show me.But im trying dam hard to learn by taking notes and working hard.

I just want to know is there good money to made in this industry(transport refigeration) and is transport refigeration recognised as a trade cause I was told there is no trade test for it here.

Im just worried aswell cause I keep asking them if theyre going to send me on courses and they say they cant say for sure

Ive been here a month and they havent given me anything,No boots,no overalls etc

So overall am I just whining or am I being treated unfair.

How do you guys treat all your appies at you companys.

Replies would be very welcomed :cool:

REEFER-TEK
02-12-2007, 11:21 PM
Hey guys im new to this site ;),I just recently started an apprenticeship at a company called Kingtec here in Duban South Africa.When I went for the interview I was told Id be doing mainly electrical work yet im doing mainly mechanical work.There is only 4 guys at the company,Me,one guy in management and two guys that do the work.

The first week there I clocked up 35 hours over time,I worked 36 hours straight one day with about 10 minutes sleep.Im not getting shown to much im more of a tool boy as these guys are working dam hard mainly on breakdowns so they dont have time to show me.But im trying dam hard to learn by taking notes and working hard.

I just want to know is there good money to made in this industry(transport refigeration) and is transport refigeration recognised as a trade cause I was told there is no trade test for it here.

Im just worried aswell cause I keep asking them if theyre going to send me on courses and they say they cant say for sure

Ive been here a month and they havent given me anything,No boots,no overalls etc

So overall am I just whining or am I being treated unfair.

How do you guys treat all your appies at you companys.

Replies would be very welcomed :cool:

Appie,
Hang in there buddy, you probably were hired on during a very busy part of there season, they may only be overwhelmed wit the work load at hand.

They are still evaluating you t o determine if your a keeper.

Keep your head high and accept everything they give you with out arguement, at the end of 6 months reasess your situation with the company, if afet 6 months you are still feeling the same way, then yes you probably are being used as a tool boy.

My advice would be do 6 months and see what happens. within that time you need to figure out ways to become an asset to them, be profitable, make them wonder what the heck they ever did with out you before.

Hang in there.

Regards R-T

thermo prince
03-12-2007, 12:59 PM
Appie hi.
Are you talking about Kingtec, the Chinese brand of transport bus a/c and truck refrigerator?
I'd heard they were on the march , trying Dubai, Africa and S America as export destinations.

It's not fitting for me to comment too much on a competitor but what I would say to you and the other young guys suffering in the "apprentice" trade ( there was another post recently about same matter, 'taking the pixx' or other it was titled) .... " a fair day's work for a fair day's wage" cuts both ways! That is to say employer's should not take advantage like that. How tight is the job market there? If easy to get a start elsewhere, get out of 'servitude' - this is not 18th century anymore!

good luck and regards!

Overworkd Appie
03-12-2007, 05:45 PM
Thanks guys

Yeah Thermo Prince its the new chinese company Kingtec.

The Job market is very small here in Durban but in Joburg its huge,what I have done is sent out my cv to other companies,I wont just get up and leave but I need them to show me a bit of respect I really have been working hard

But thanks guys this site is really cool

thermo prince
04-12-2007, 08:12 AM
O/W Appie,
Do you see yourself getting ' the gold watch' after you retire with them 40 yrs from now?
test them ,,, ask them about career development, medical, pension plan , p-fund and all that good stuff. If they are ' fly by nights' that will rattle them.

See how it goes for while and get some experience - it's all part of ' the university of life', cannot beat it!

Later, if you love transport game, being out on the open roads and you have good mech-electrical fitting aptitudes, you can always go to one of the other long established firms down there like Grenco, Carrier and look for apprenticeship there perhaps.

A couple of transport techs from S Africa have posted here in the past , maybe you can chat with them offside also.

regards and good luck!

thermo prince
04-12-2007, 10:50 AM
Some blokes from South Africa have posted on RE as seen on this link ....

http://www.refrigeration-engineer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9484

maybe you can strike up a PM chat with them.
regards