Work Experience Kids
Discussion
I've put this in the lounge rather than Employment for hopefully obvious reasons.
I'm taking 3 work experience kids into my department (IT) for a week or two. In amongst some genuine good experience we will provide for them, what are some good wind ups? (that don't directly constitute bullying!). Of course there are the classic long stand, left handed screw drivers etc, any thing more interesting?
I'm taking 3 work experience kids into my department (IT) for a week or two. In amongst some genuine good experience we will provide for them, what are some good wind ups? (that don't directly constitute bullying!). Of course there are the classic long stand, left handed screw drivers etc, any thing more interesting?
What’s your company IT situation like? Fairly up-to-date, built and maintained to best practice, highly skilled users?
Or like my first IT job, obsolete everything, including the most critical accounting server being an ancient IBM lump that everyone was afraid to turn off incase it didn’t power on again, and a mailserver that NEEDED a hard reset every day to keep working?
Depending on which, you can horrify them into choosing a different career.
If you’ve got a decent cloud infrastructure there is also endless mileage in precipitation based gags....
Or like my first IT job, obsolete everything, including the most critical accounting server being an ancient IBM lump that everyone was afraid to turn off incase it didn’t power on again, and a mailserver that NEEDED a hard reset every day to keep working?
Depending on which, you can horrify them into choosing a different career.
If you’ve got a decent cloud infrastructure there is also endless mileage in precipitation based gags....
BS62 said:
What’s your company IT situation like? Fairly up-to-date, built and maintained to best practice, highly skilled users?
Or like my first IT job, obsolete everything, including the most critical accounting server being an ancient IBM lump that everyone was afraid to turn off incase it didn’t power on again, and a mailserver that NEEDED a hard reset every day to keep working?
Depending on which, you can horrify them into choosing a different career.
If you’ve got a decent cloud infrastructure there is also endless mileage in precipitation based gags....
We're very up to date and hybrid cloud oriented. Genuinely interested in giving them some valuable experience, and I believe showing them that a workplace doesn't have to be all starched collars and TPS reports is part of that.Or like my first IT job, obsolete everything, including the most critical accounting server being an ancient IBM lump that everyone was afraid to turn off incase it didn’t power on again, and a mailserver that NEEDED a hard reset every day to keep working?
Depending on which, you can horrify them into choosing a different career.
If you’ve got a decent cloud infrastructure there is also endless mileage in precipitation based gags....
Of course if some nervy anxious kids show up I won't be locking them in any cupboards, but happy for them to banter back!
To those suggesting fun should be banned, hopefully I don't end up stuck next to you at a party!
rsbmw said:
I've put this in the lounge rather than Employment for hopefully obvious reasons.
I'm taking 3 work experience kids into my department (IT) for a week or two. In amongst some genuine good experience we will provide for them, what are some good wind ups? (that don't directly constitute bullying!). Of course there are the classic long stand, left handed screw drivers etc, any thing more interesting?
Remember, they are still kids venturing on their first week out in the "big bad world of work". I'm taking 3 work experience kids into my department (IT) for a week or two. In amongst some genuine good experience we will provide for them, what are some good wind ups? (that don't directly constitute bullying!). Of course there are the classic long stand, left handed screw drivers etc, any thing more interesting?
Schools and certain parents can be a funny bunch, what you "don't constitute" as bullying may not be the same as others, tread carefully.
http://fakeupdate.net/
simple, just see what their reaction is!
I agree to installing a wireless mouse and hiding it in your draw for random fun.
simple, just see what their reaction is!
I agree to installing a wireless mouse and hiding it in your draw for random fun.
Peanut Gallery said:
Perfect, well played SirThey will all believe they are working on an OS older than them and wonder what they've let themselves in for. Genius.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Yes this.Also be careful as work experience aged children (15-16) are right at that stage where they are unsure about the big-wide-world and you need to take them on with a careful hand.
I really wanted to be a mechanic, I did work experience at a garage and they spent the whole week taking the piss out of me. It didn't upset me or cause me any long term stress, and now I quite enjoy having the s
t ripped out of me, but at the time as a 16 it was a bit off putting and did knock my confidence quite a bit.Not as work experience but my very first IT job they asked me to print a document to PDF. So I said "where's the PDF printer?"
They brought over a cardboard box with a kettle lead, and had written on it "PDF Printer".
They then showed me how to "print" to PDF format.
That was quite funny and harmless fun.
xjay1337 said:
"I really wanted to be a mechanic, I did work experience at a garage and they spent the whole week taking the piss out of me. It didn't upset me or cause me any long term stress, "
"but at the time as a 16 it was a bit off putting and did knock my confidence quite a bit."
Which one?"but at the time as a 16 it was a bit off putting and did knock my confidence quite a bit."
Kids are all about reputation these days, if you make them look or feel stupid you may get a retaliation which will not be as well thought out and mature as yours was.
It's not about being devoid of fun, it's about knowing your audience.
I worked in a call centre a few years back, majority of the work force were 18-22 so quite similar..
as previously mentioned the wireless keyboard and mouse is about the maximum level you can go to.. just the occasional wiggle of the mouse so it 'behaves oddly' . hours of fun for all the family.
prepare yourself for a work ethic you've never encountered.
prepare yourself for question after question which will seem like they're trying to avoid doing anything
prepare yourself for seeing a complete phobia of picking up the telephone and wanting to conduct everything via email.
Lastly, just because they're checking their phone while your talking to them, it doesn't make them rude, it means they don't know any different.
It's not about being devoid of fun, it's about knowing your audience.
I worked in a call centre a few years back, majority of the work force were 18-22 so quite similar..
as previously mentioned the wireless keyboard and mouse is about the maximum level you can go to.. just the occasional wiggle of the mouse so it 'behaves oddly' . hours of fun for all the family.
prepare yourself for a work ethic you've never encountered.
prepare yourself for question after question which will seem like they're trying to avoid doing anything
prepare yourself for seeing a complete phobia of picking up the telephone and wanting to conduct everything via email.
Lastly, just because they're checking their phone while your talking to them, it doesn't make them rude, it means they don't know any different.
Not IT related, but when I worked for Halfords we'd send some of the work experience kids off to the other bike shops to gets pads for a menstrual cycle. The other shops knew the drill, and would suggest another bike shop for them to try.
We also had one of the really old polystyrene cycle helmets with a Day-Glow orange fabric cover on it - they had to wear that until they had their fire safety training - so if they got caught in a smokey building we'd be able to find them easier.
We also had one of the really old polystyrene cycle helmets with a Day-Glow orange fabric cover on it - they had to wear that until they had their fire safety training - so if they got caught in a smokey building we'd be able to find them easier.
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