17yr old and offered £26k p.a. would you take it…….

….if it meant working away from home?

I had an electrical apprentice lined up, he knew the scope of works and has done for a few weeks.

Took him to get all his PPE last weekend, paid for his CSCS test/card/learning media.

He emails me today, the day before his CSCS test and 4 days before he’s due to start, saying that he would be willing to work away from home for 4 days, but can’t handle 5.

I presume he’ll carry on with his part time job in a restaurant….

I would others wouldn’t,

I left to work in London for £17kpa at 25. I guess his mother is a great cook.

Or maybe he works at the Fat Duck.

Maybe his work:life balance is a bit more even

How much!

Maybe his parent/life balance more like – he drives an almost new Focus Zetec

You can buy plenty of stuff earning 26k a year, happiness isn’t one of them.

How far away from home is it? Aged 17 being miles away from home in an adult working environment with no friends etc…..can’t you find some one other than a teenager to work for you if you’re offering that sort of money?

Depends how far away from home and how often.
I had 6 months of working in Portsmouth, living in Nottingham. Hated it. So tired after getting home at weekends that I had no life for myself. My current job might take me away occasionally for a week at a time or occasionally a month. That’s fine, irrespective of distance. Logically, there must be a cut off point between the two.

I left home at 18 for a job paying somewhat less than that (though admittedly the next year I was doing what a lot of my mates were and going off to uni)

17, work away from home, not a cat in hells chance!!

beer
rugby
women
more beer
rugby
more women

far too many things to keep a 17 yr old occupied than boring work when i was 17

Community Service on Fridays I reckon.

I’d bite your hand off.

26k….. I’ll do it !!

I left home a few weeks before my 18th birthday to go and live/work in Austria.
Best thing I ever did.

He knew the score and said he’d really enjoy working away at first.

It can be a long way from home, it can be near home, depends on the contract.

I pay unskilled workers the equivalent of £32.5k p.a. but you wouldn’t believe what a struggle it is to find people, but that’s another issue relating to continuity of work

I’m 41 and I still don’t earn that much….

He doesn’t drink/go out clubbing etc…

So you know he’s not desperate for cash and yet you still make the salary the big thing in the deal?

And when’s this apprentice going to do his day release to college if he’s working five days a week away from home?

I’d bite your cock (not off).

Maybe he’s had a better offer and the 4/5 day thing is a ruse, after all an apprentiship with EDF, Network Rail etc will have you away from home for months not days.

So you know he’s not desperate for cash and yet you still make the salary the big thing in the deal?

And when’s this apprentice going to do his day release to college if he’s working five days a week away from home?

Sorry, I thought the majority of people went to work for money, not fun

He’s done his level 2 NVQ and dropped out of college. He wanted to take it up again and do his level 3, but has missed the start of term, so it would be something we’d look at in September. He’d be learning the trade until then

Maybe it’s you but he didn’t know how to tell you.

Artist do you need any site managers?

Maybe it’s you but he didn’t know how to tell you.

Maybe it is

We seem to get on pretty well though

Sorry, I thought the majority of people went to work for money, not fun

If you don’t enjoy you’re work, miles from home with no one you know then it’s not going to be good. The guy has his reasons, he’s expressed he can do 4 days with you. Seems you can’t be a flexible employer and help him out.

I joined the army at 16 on nothing like that. Christ after 10 years in the army and 12 in the fire service im still only on 28kpa got any jobs 😉

wrightyson, I need all sorts of people at various times

Sorry, I thought the majority of people went to work for money, not fun

Maybe they do, I now earn about half what I could because I want an easier life and just today turned down another job that was paying £12k more as I don’t want to work late on Fridays

26k….. I’ll do it !!

Why’s that Neil?

I’ll send my lad, he’s a hard working 27 yr old with ‘some electrical…qualifications’

In fact sod him, Ill do it!!

It’s not really like leaving home though is it? As I understand, you work away on the roads don’t you? So what kind of places do you stay? He’s obviously got it cushty at home if he’s 17 and driving a nearly new Focus – and maybe the apron strings are strong. I Was mad to get away from home once I was done at Uni but working away 4 nights a week and schlepping back home (albeit in the luxury of your MASSIVE truck 🙂 ) late on Friday and schlepping off again at God knows what time on Monday morning. It might not be all that attractive for him – compared to play station, mums cooking and cleaning, etc etc. Anyway, it’s best you know now rather than investing 3 or 4 months into him before he’d sack it off. You’ll find a nice young man to accompany you I’m sure. 😉

What line of work?
All electrical?
And yes I’m pimping myself out 😆

If you don’t enjoy you’re work, miles from home with no one you know then it’s not going to be good. The guy has his reasons, he’s expressed he can do 4 days with you. Seems you can’t be a flexible employer and help him out.

Maybe I could and considered it, but I need a bigger level of commitment than that in my industry. My customer wouldn’t wear it if I wasn’t willing to meet their requirements.

He’s had 4 weeks to make this decision – that’s from the offer of the job. And weeks before that to think about it before that.

Anyhow, I’m not cross with him, maybe a little frustrated, but life goes on.

Having managed people for two decdes, the signs are there that the job wouldn’t be for him if this is his thinking before he’s even started.

I moved away from home after my degree for a job earning £14k pa, OK so it was 18yrs ago and graduate salaries have improved since then, but £26k pa for an apprenticeship is a lavish starting salary (I started at 16 as an apprentice on £50 per week). And moving away from home for work is commonplace. I don’t see what the issue is? Is he afraid he can’t afford to live on his own on £26k pa, or doesn’t want to? you’ve got to go where the work and opportunities are, that is the case now as it always has been.

wrightyson is offering his services. He seems a decent enough bloke, although he knows bollocks all about building. You’d need to make sure he’s properly CSCS’d up – go overboard with his training. 😀

Surely it depends on where it is? Is it in the ar$e-end of nowhere?

I think it’s just cold feet – I would cajole him into trying it for his probation period(?) and making a longer term decision after that.

At the point he’s turning down a 26K job – I would say that he’s perhaps doing so under the assumption that you will continue to support him financially….. maybe you want to dispel that 🙂

wrighty – electrical, electricians mates, general ops, civils contractors.

As I said earlier though, my requirements are quite changeable, so it would need some serious discussion.

£26k, at 17?

My son started at 16 as an apprentice, and now at 19 and almost qualified he’s still only earning £5ph.

Living away from home meant that we paid his rent until he was 18 as you can’t get housing benefit when under 18 – he was earning less than £3ph. Reason he was away was he worked for a family friends firm.

I’d recruit one who lives local.

Anyhow, I’m not cross with him, maybe a little frustrated, but life goes on.

Yup that’s about it. I guess it wasn’t an easy decision for him hence the last minute thing. I’d have done it at that age, at 16 I spent a month away from home setting up for my career I do now.

I need all sorts of people at various times

I’ll bet you’d alter that if I ever worked for you. Don’t think I’ve ever encountered anyone with a work ethic as shite as mine.

On the last minute thing, it’s worth remembering that your average 17 year old possibly doesn’t understand that a bit of notice is handy when you’re running a business – hopefully it wasn’t personal.

Well ive got a mate thats an electrician so that makes me an electricians mate. Where do i sign ? 😉