Trying to show 21 year old how to grout, Grrrr!!

[diamondtiling]

I have a young lad with me on this commercial job, he is a nice lad but so slow. We got to the grouting stage today and I got two buckets ready so that I could do two separate mixes for both of us. I mix everything up in one bucket and then see him with a small spacer bucket so I ask him "what is that for?"
"I always mix in this" was his reply.
I explained to him that it would take 2 of my mixes or 20 of his little ones, he wanted to carry on with his twenty little mixes, I explained that there is no way he can get them exactly the same and that he will be using weak grout or stiff grout that could be different shades.
Anyway I did the two mixes and he starts at the bottom of the wall?
"Ash, start at the top mate" I tell him
"why" came his reply
"because I said so, ok!"
He grouts about a quarter of a metre and starts to wash off immediately, "Leave it mate" I tell him, "you are wetting it too much, let it dry a little"
"why, I always do it like this" he says :mad2:
"not today sunshine, today you learn the right way"
He was clearly not happy so I explained to him about letting grout dry a while and then cleaning off, then leave it again before another clean and then how to strike his grout lines.


When will young kids learn to shut up, stop being yappy and learn.


:incazzato:

 

[Yorkshire Tiling Services]

The old way would be to give him a clip round the ear or throw a grout float at his head...
That would make him listen.
Sadly no more !

 

[White Room]

Patience is a virtue Dom

 

[Yorkshire Tiling Services]

Worked with a few young trainees
They just seem to want to spend their time texting on their mobile
No get up & go

 

[Ken Bruty]

Yep, I agree, I've done some lecturing level 2's at the college local to me, and the part timers are brilliant, generally older but really wanting to learn, the teenies and early twenties are a nightmare, and need constantly pulling into line, but, at the end of the day they either want to do it or they don't, some are sent by their Mum's to get them out of the house, so you have to be like their parents!:incazzato:

 

[Deleted member 9966]

you have a lot of coaching to be doing then Dom. enjoy :smilewinkgrin:

p.s. I'm still watching :lol:

 

[diamondtiling]

He can do it my way or his way and his way will end with a long walk home.

And I am watching you too Liz, will you please get dressed or switch the web cam off, actually leave it on.

:8:

 

[Deleted member 9966]

switch the web cam off, actually leave it on.

:8:

i don't have a webcam :smilewinkgrin:

 

[diamondtiling]

i don't have a webcam :smilewinkgrin:

Would you like one?.......................:smilewinkgrin:

 

[hillhead]

My 18 year old is a pain in the rear at times too and he has about 5 years experience !
I left him on site yesterday at 4pm as i went to dentist,i told him to stick on two vertical borders above the bath and clean floor of the bathroom out to be ready for ditra this morning!he didn't complete the borders and no floor clean either,not good enough in my books.
Also i made him remove a couple of pieces,this texting is a joke for youngsters,today his phone was removed.

 

[diamondtiling]

I dont allow phones Joe, they are left in the van.

rrr:

 

[Colour Republic]

He can do it my way or his way and his way will end with a long walk home.

And I am watching you too Liz, will you please get dressed or switch the web cam off, actually leave it on.

:8:

You've got some bottle

 

[diamondtiling]

You've got some bottle

Its called Stella Rob.................:8:

 

[Colour Republic]

To be fair there are some kids out there that are willing to learn and some of them are very grateful.

I know because not 20 mins ago I was with one of them.
EDIT: ok 50 mins ago, i'm a slow at replying

About 4 years ago I was called in to sort out another firm’s mess, not by the client I might add but by the firm who got into trouble.

It was a fairly large contract and I acted as a mediator between client and contractor whilst also driving the project forward. Now there was a young lad of 16 who was employed as an apprentice carpenter, the firm didn't have a full time carpenter so who he was an apprentice to is anybody’s guess. The fact was the company was using him as a labourer on apprentice wages of only £20 a day, me being slightly pee'd off that they were taking the Michael but not in a position to start kicking off because I already had enough on my plate, decided to take the kid under my wing and teach him what he should be doing, which wasn't sweeping floors for 8 hours a day! Yes you have to start at the bottom but how the hell are you supposed to learn if you don't do any of your chosen trade.

Anyway I always knew the kid appreciated it. I also knew that after I had finished he would be back to sweeping floors but the kid kept in touch every so often to let me know how he was getting on, when he left and went to another firm I could hear the pride in his voice when he told me he was doing great and really learning now and was keen to show off his new skills, this went on every 5-6 months with updates from him.

Sadly it seems although he is now fully qualified various firms have carried on abusing him financially because of his age, I know he has never earned a great deal of money (even today somebody is taking the mickey by paying him £50 a day) but he sticks at it and wants to better himself, so I’ve always kept aside some old tools of mine that I’ve since upgrade with the intension of giving them to him. So when he rang me last week out of the blue I finally got round to getting them together and telling him he could have them, I believe his was really chuffed and insisted that he wanted to give me some money for them, which I of course refused, so we settled on him taking me for a beer! Which as I say I’ve just come in from and it's great to see him 4 years on and now 20 and taking me out for a beer on his measly wages!

So whilst I completely agree there are some little nupties out there, lets not forget those who are willing to learn, are grateful for it and take all the abuse people throw at them. Dom i'm sure you are just bringing this guy onside so you can then teach him but please always explain why you are telling him something, I know the buggers question you constantly, which all takes time but it doesn't take long before they stop questioning your knowledge and respect that whatever you tell them is the truth.

 

[Pebbs]

Dont get me started about mobile phones:incazzato:it sends me crazy. I get phone calls in the office.....it goes something like this....

Phone rings 9.35am

Me..... Morning!
Them....Alright!
Me....Yep good thanks you?
Them.....Yep ...nice morning
Me....Lovely! anything the matter?
Them....No Im just having a *** outside and I thought I would give you a call.
Me....Have you done any work yet?
Them....Yep a bit...
Me...How about doing some more?
Them...You having a laff here Lynnie?
Me...We'll see whos having a laugh, when your wages are knocked on Friday.
Them...Alright Alright Keep your hair on....I was only ringing for a friendly chat!
Me...Whats that have you just had a text come in or something?!!
Them...Yer its just me mate!
Me...I dont want to hear anymore from you today unless theres a problem ok?
Them...Alright Alright...god your in a bad mood today.

Next phone call

Me to the site foreman

Listen go find XXXXXX and get his phone of him this minute, and dont give it him back till 4 ok?

Site Foreman.... Ive been looking for him for the last 20 minutes! dont know where hes gone!

Every single day...theres one of them, and even worse when they text me those stupid jokes...

Pebbs