Apprentice safe extraction
Discussion
Sorry if this will sound mega daft to someone but I thought that among the entrepreneurial cream of piston heads someone will know the answer...
In my business, there is me, my wife(support from home really), frelancer and for the last 9 month an apprentice.
The overall performance of...lets call him 'Rocky' was always average but I alway though he still has time improve, unfortunately in recent weeks Rocky's performance has dropped - I'm talking about a lack of concentration, attention to details, misinterpreted instructions both verbal and written. I'm normally there to support him, react and avoid disasters. Last week, unfortunately, I was one sickrabbit and couldn't be there for Rocky as much as normal - I have instructed him to spend extra time on each task (list and instruction with step by step guides provided) and just pop up or radio me if he needs advice or help while I die replying to emails from my dark cave. Now a bit of explanation - we are sign makers and ethos of the company focuses on quality (among few other things less important in this scenario like say... making money) (I love brackets - sorry).
You now what's coming by now I'm sure - Yes Rocky has failed miserably!
Each sign we made last week we made at least twice (unless there is more attempts to be found in the dumpster on Monday) with one of them being made 6 times and fitted twice - yes I wasn't that hot checking stuff due to mentioned illness and I take part of the blame for actually getting one of the signs fitted.
To summarize we lost approx 1k in labor and materials last week alone due to Rocky's lack of care and attention - when confronted Rocky always replies 'I don't know', I havent realized or even tries to find a bright site of us binning 2mx1m acrylic sign after chipping of it's corner...words fail me...
Now Rocky is a nice lad really and when he cares he does alright but he only cares about things which interest him and this seems to be not a lot. I have already asked him if he's got any problems at home or with girlfriend, health,drughs or alcoholh - further more he calims to be proud to be working for us and he loves it.
I have decided that it would be best to extract Rocky and replace him with experienced member of staff (waiting ready) but I'm unsure how should I go by showing Rocky the door so that there is no come back - Rocky's mum works for employabilty lawyers (palmface goes in here)!
Considering I know next to nothing about HR and employment laws (had agency to sort things out for me in the past) do I:
A: hire someone to deal with it and lose even more money but gain the piece of mind
B: sort it out DIY style with help of fellow Pistonheaders
C: ask the school to step in
Yours trully sickrabbit (excuse spellign stylistics and whatever else I did wrong it's 4am I'm in pain, on drugs and with 39.4 temp)
In my business, there is me, my wife(support from home really), frelancer and for the last 9 month an apprentice.
The overall performance of...lets call him 'Rocky' was always average but I alway though he still has time improve, unfortunately in recent weeks Rocky's performance has dropped - I'm talking about a lack of concentration, attention to details, misinterpreted instructions both verbal and written. I'm normally there to support him, react and avoid disasters. Last week, unfortunately, I was one sickrabbit and couldn't be there for Rocky as much as normal - I have instructed him to spend extra time on each task (list and instruction with step by step guides provided) and just pop up or radio me if he needs advice or help while I die replying to emails from my dark cave. Now a bit of explanation - we are sign makers and ethos of the company focuses on quality (among few other things less important in this scenario like say... making money) (I love brackets - sorry).
You now what's coming by now I'm sure - Yes Rocky has failed miserably!
Each sign we made last week we made at least twice (unless there is more attempts to be found in the dumpster on Monday) with one of them being made 6 times and fitted twice - yes I wasn't that hot checking stuff due to mentioned illness and I take part of the blame for actually getting one of the signs fitted.
To summarize we lost approx 1k in labor and materials last week alone due to Rocky's lack of care and attention - when confronted Rocky always replies 'I don't know', I havent realized or even tries to find a bright site of us binning 2mx1m acrylic sign after chipping of it's corner...words fail me...
Now Rocky is a nice lad really and when he cares he does alright but he only cares about things which interest him and this seems to be not a lot. I have already asked him if he's got any problems at home or with girlfriend, health,drughs or alcoholh - further more he calims to be proud to be working for us and he loves it.
I have decided that it would be best to extract Rocky and replace him with experienced member of staff (waiting ready) but I'm unsure how should I go by showing Rocky the door so that there is no come back - Rocky's mum works for employabilty lawyers (palmface goes in here)!
Considering I know next to nothing about HR and employment laws (had agency to sort things out for me in the past) do I:
A: hire someone to deal with it and lose even more money but gain the piece of mind
B: sort it out DIY style with help of fellow Pistonheaders
C: ask the school to step in
Yours trully sickrabbit (excuse spellign stylistics and whatever else I did wrong it's 4am I'm in pain, on drugs and with 39.4 temp)
You've neglected to mention anything about the most relevant bit in all this : what does his contract say? Specifically whether it's a fixed term apprenticeship and what clauses you have regarding notice periods, termination, gross misconduct etc. What it says in there will give you your answers on how to proceed.
My experience of apprentices is that you have regular meetings with their school/college to review progress etc. I'm assuming you have had these and at each one said he's doing ok but needs to try harder or words to that effect?
I would ask for another meeting asap and explain its not working out, little improvement over time and that you can't keep him on.
I would not mention recent events as if you had been supervising closely (as per normal) the issues would not have occurred and Rocky would be safe. If he raises it as an issue then I would simply say it highlighted longer term problems of progress and development.
I would ask for another meeting asap and explain its not working out, little improvement over time and that you can't keep him on.
I would not mention recent events as if you had been supervising closely (as per normal) the issues would not have occurred and Rocky would be safe. If he raises it as an issue then I would simply say it highlighted longer term problems of progress and development.
Did you say that it all suddenly got worse? You say that he doesn't know why he's making these kinds of errors. There's usually a reason for that eg death in the family, break up with girlfriend, realised the job sucks.
If it's never been good and didn't look like it was really improving at all, well, many people are not that good at the old attention to detail thing.
If it's never been good and didn't look like it was really improving at all, well, many people are not that good at the old attention to detail thing.
. Unless it was a double parrot bluff kinda thing and it's on me? 
Have you spoken to Rocky about whether he actually wants a career in sign making? And have you given him any formal warnings on his performance yet?
It's entirely possible that through learning the job he's realised that he doesn't want to make signs but could possibly feel that he's made his bed and now has to lay in it.
If it was me in your position I'd (assuming this is a 8-5 Monday to Friday job) sit him down at 4pm on a Friday and explain what you've told us in your post, that this has to change and last week cannot happen again as it's just not sustainable for the business, and to consider this conversation a verbal warning on his performance (assuming you haven't already given him one).
Then follow this up with an escape route for him. Ask him if he's sure that this is what he wants to do with his life, that it's perfectly ok if he doesn't as you can part ways amicably and that he doesn't have to give you an answer now and can take the weekend to think it over.
If come Monday he's decided that he doesn't, problem solved. If he's decided he does he should have a renewed drive for the job and hopefully you can put together a plan to help him improve.
It's entirely possible that through learning the job he's realised that he doesn't want to make signs but could possibly feel that he's made his bed and now has to lay in it.
If it was me in your position I'd (assuming this is a 8-5 Monday to Friday job) sit him down at 4pm on a Friday and explain what you've told us in your post, that this has to change and last week cannot happen again as it's just not sustainable for the business, and to consider this conversation a verbal warning on his performance (assuming you haven't already given him one).
Then follow this up with an escape route for him. Ask him if he's sure that this is what he wants to do with his life, that it's perfectly ok if he doesn't as you can part ways amicably and that he doesn't have to give you an answer now and can take the weekend to think it over.
If come Monday he's decided that he doesn't, problem solved. If he's decided he does he should have a renewed drive for the job and hopefully you can put together a plan to help him improve.
NoIP said:
You've neglected to mention anything about the most relevant bit in all this : what does his contract say? Specifically whether it's a fixed term apprenticeship and what clauses you have regarding notice periods, termination, gross misconduct etc. What it says in there will give you your answers on how to proceed.
Very True - I shall get the contract out and report back - it was prepared by HR consultancy - from memory, it's not fixed term...21TonyK said:
My experience of apprentices is that you have regular meetings with their school/college to review progress etc. I'm assuming you have had these and at each one said he's doing ok but needs to try harder or words to that effect?
I would ask for another meeting asap and explain its not working out, little improvement over time and that you can't keep him on.
I would not mention recent events as if you had been supervising closely (as per normal) the issues would not have occurred and Rocky would be safe. If he raises it as an issue then I would simply say it highlighted longer term problems of progress and development.
College doesn't give a fxxk I'm afraid 9 months in they are still planning the first meeting on site, the 2 - 3 telephone conversations with them were brief and one voicing my concern was extra brief as they didn't want to know...#sadI would ask for another meeting asap and explain its not working out, little improvement over time and that you can't keep him on.
I would not mention recent events as if you had been supervising closely (as per normal) the issues would not have occurred and Rocky would be safe. If he raises it as an issue then I would simply say it highlighted longer term problems of progress and development.
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