Developing an Apprentice workshop Manual

[Kev M]

Hello everyone I am putting together a Workshop Training Manual for 1st and 2nd Year apprentices (SVQ) and was looking for feedback from the “Professionals”. I know how much you moan about the lack of training for apprentices and if they could do certain things by a certain stage of their apprenticeship they would be more useful so here is your chance.
The existing training manual covers the basics from pipe bending to brazing etc... However I am making sure that all aspects are covered.
To make it simple I am just looking for what you would expect the following to be able to do:

1st Year Apprentice

2nd Year Apprentice

Cheers

[Tesla]

1st; Safety, pipe work and mechanical
2nd Electrical and fluid systems.

Problem is attitudes of the apprentice and the employer, some are lazy and some just try to make bucks.

[Kev M]

Got most of that covered.

Cheers

[Magoo]

Page one: Sweep the workshop out, make the coffee and get my lunch organised.

Seriously, the use of tools and understanding them, should be to first line on the first page.
eg, bench drills ,grinders, hacksaws, socket sets, service gauges, lathes, welding sets gas, arc, mig, tig. Electrical safety and test meters. The list goes on.

[lowcool]

showing up on time for minimum of 5 days a week

[nike123]

Most of my apprentices are heaving trouble with leaving their brain home or somewhere else.

First year: Brain.
How to connect eyes and ears with brain.
How to wake brain and make it active all day.
Than train that brain with active measures like hitting it with adjustable wrench (250 mm or bigger) when goes in hibernation mode etc. Slowly introduce some refrigeration but you must connect that somehow with girls body parts to achieve some attention to basics.
Than more brain training, so that after year of apprenticeship they are becoming aware of its existence and usefulness.
If they pass first year and become aware of its brain, in second year, you could learn them a lot.

[lowcool]

i suggest two books the other for adult apprentices

[Kev M]

Thanks for the feedback.

The adult manual is a very good idea as we run a adult MA.

Mike123 im sure you were an apprentice at some point and thought the same things!!!!, your lucky you only have one or two at a time I have 15-20 to listen too!!!!

[nike123]

Mike123 im sure you were an apprentice at some point and thought the same things!!!!

Partially true! As aprentice, I have been always thirsty for knowledge. I asked lot of questions and 2-3 month after, I was usualy able to do my work alone. Even in vocational school I was able to make some decent money by repairing white goods and rewinding power tools for teachers (and others) from that school.
And I liked girls a lot, but when learning is in question I am always hungry, even today.
These taught about something between ears are from my tutor in vocational school, and he has always talked that only those who use that gray thing are those who will became great service engineers. And on first day he did not teach us anything about our trade. Whole day he talked about active listening, concentration on mater, how is not embracing to ask questions and more questions.
Also, if he will spot someone with dumb look in one spot in distance, he will slap him to regain attention.
I did not concern that as abuse.
In these days that is not acceptable, but that is why we have more sleepers.

[nevgee]

You are so right Nike123 .... "look, listen and learn"

I did my initial apprenticeship in the coal mining industry. we had to do as we were told but, we( apprentice) were 50% of a team. The engineer couldn't function correctly without co operation of the Apprentice. So a mutual working relationship had to develope.

So far as actual skill developement. The basic engineeering skills need to be learned first. Tool use, techniques, basic engineering principles, health and safety (Hot water from a kettle will scald) how to use a sweeping brush, you'd be suprised how many lads today have no idea!

[nevgee]

sorry duplicated post

[marcus8]

Hi Kev,

I'm about to start out in this industry, (not as an apprentice as a trainee) any chance you could send me a copy of your manual. It sound very usefull.

Thanks

Mark

[ktm]

Yea I think the most important thing is that they want to learn the trade and not just make money. If they turn up on time and do what I ask when I ask then I will teach them every possible thing I can. The most important thing is to ask questions I'd prefare to be asked a stupid question rather than no question at least it shows they thinking. No book is goin to make the perfect lad but it is a great idea. Also I think some of the blame for bad apprentices must be with the employers. They never gona b any use if they just clean coils and filters all day everyday.
Love to see your finished book.

[charlie patt]

first year turn up on time be polite and listen, the rest will come we all learned at a different rate sometimes good sometimes slow i always found it depended on the trainer. but seriously first year basic electrical knowledge and fridge cycle and pressures be clean and tidy year two develope year one

[chilliwilly]

Ist Year: Basic health and safety focusing on lifting and moving objects including first aid. Safe and unsafe use of hand and power tools, use of hand tools to perform basic duties the old school way ie hammers and chisels to lift floor boards, knock the smaller holes through walls, then the use of power tools to perform the same jobs. Types of fixing methods to ceilings, walls, and floors, reading drawings and the basic study of fire rated building materials.

Safe use of electricity and electrical principles basics, ie connecting a plug top or to a spur, basic safe loading of circuits, basic refrigeration basics ie piping, flaring, and other mechanical joints, safe use of oxy and fuel gas, annealing and recovery of metals, swaging and brazing, bending and setting, basic PT charting.

2nd year: The same as above but with relevant college attendance studying NVQ or equivalent, and being thrown in at the deep end if they survive the first year and come this far.

3rd year: Same as above.

4th year: Same as above.

5th year: ...?

[elaineclark]

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[chilliwilly]

SAT test is commonly used in every college in USA to get the admission.To get good result in SAT Test by using only SAT books or internet.The good way to SAT Test preparation using only sat book.

I once did a sat test that had recently been introduced at a chemical plant, to fill a vacancy where I worked as a subbie electrician, back in the nineties. Because the wages and benefits were much better than the self employed rates at that time. Anyway I failed it, the personnel officer said "The results that you have got in one of the sections suggest that you lacked the intelligence, and mental capabillities of a person who works with electricity." Then she said "On the other hand, the good remaining results suggested you would make an ideal motor mechanic. And there was a vacancy coming up in the not too distant future, and she would like me to apply for it.

I told her no, as I already had an electrical contracting business, where I was a qualified electrical supervisor and the duty holder of a niccy registered business. And I really need to get back on the plant to change a motor, and part rewire a control panel. She looked and paused then said "But you can't do that, because this tests suggests you lack the intelligence to do that kind of work". I looked at her and said ok whatever, then went back on the plant. The other guys in the plant maintenance shop got to hear about this and they took the p!ss and we had a laugh about it.

Then one of the higher ranking technicians who'd worked there for thirty years or more, heard about it and was concerned about the result that I'd got, and decided to have a go at it. He failed it, and she told him the same thing. He told her that he really should get back to work, as he was one of the plant technicians and had work to do. The top chemical engineers got to hear about, so they also had a go at it, and they failed. She told them that the results suggested they lacked the abillity to work their way round an obstacle and lacked logical reasoning. Its a good job they already worked there, they might have ended up as a mechanic. Not that theres anything wrong with being a mechanic.