[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

so, you are telling me that in days gone past bosses NEVER EVER trained their apprentices, NEVER EVER stuck them with another tradie, or even a first year with a 4th year - NEVER EVER - it was all done by trade school - really????????

Ohh FFS!
Of COURSE, we train our apprentices with on the job experience and spreading them around the various areas of the factory, with competent tradesmen! (And always HAVE!)
Some time in the CNC area, fabrication area, general machining, fitting area, onsite maintenance etc.
Our company philosophy was always to invest in generating competent tradesmen, (and not a “cheap” labour source!)... After all, they are the future of your business... if you can hang onto the good ones? (Another topic, that!)
BUT, we should NOT have to re-teach the practical side of virtually every module that their training provider (TAFE) should reasonably be expected to!
The standard of TAFE training has deteriorated abysmally over the last decade or so!... THAT is my point!
You can blame Liberal Governments, blame lack of funding, blame who you bloody like...
The simple fact IS... TAFE Apprenticeship training is sub-standard, which has directly lowered the quality of “tradespeople ” produced in Australia!!
Think back to when major organisations had their own in-house training facilities (Repco, Government Aircraft factory, Government Ordnance factory, Naval dockyards, GMH etc) working in conjunction with properly equipped, master tradesmen teachers in the Tech School system.
The tradesmen produced were world class, many going on to be industry leaders!
A far cry from what’s being spat out of today’s broken system!
Anyhow.... Not my concern anymore! Pura Vida all.