The perfect trainee / apprentice
So you fancy starting out in construction as a trainee or apprentice but you're not sure if you've got what it takes?
Bricking It's Dr Phil has dealt with a fair few apprentices in his time, so we asked him: what separates the tradesmen from the trainees?
What makes a perfect apprentice?
The best apprentice is someone who wants to do the job. I can tell if someone wants to do something. It's like an instinct.
If someone comes to me saying they want to be a carpenter they have to show me that they really want that job and that they know what they are asking for.
How can they prove they're serious?
I'll want to know what they have done to make that happen:
If they have already made a few enquiries I'll take them much more seriously. It shows initiative and a determination to succeed.
Why have they chosen this trade in particular? Maybe the aspiring carpenter has enjoyed making things out of old pieces of wood in the garden shed since they were young. This is interesting to me. It shows a genuine interest in the trade. If they want to be a plumber, do they know what sanitary ware they have at home?
Are their expectations of the job realistic? Do they know that it's hard work and long hours, that the work is physically tough and mentally challenging?
How important is attitude?
Attitude is all important. An apprentice has to want to learn, and has to be able to take criticism in a mature and constructive way.
Apprentices need to see criticism as an opportunity to learn, and not take jibes the wrong way. It helps to have a thick skin and a mature attitude.
Can anyone do the job?
Many of the trades demand increasingly sophisticated skills these days. Plumbing is getting more and more high-tech. Electrical work involves a lot of maths.
Although they are specialist skills, you don't have to be a genius to do plastering, bricklaying or painting and decorating. You'll pick the skills up on the job.
