Jim Warman Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 I have a promising young apprentice with an overwhelming problem.... it appears that he doesn't like to read.... The current dilemma involves the new generation TPMS. Until recently, our shop has had zero experience with the system other than my insisting that all of our shop staff take the WBT course... and, of course, I don't have STARS2 authority to make sure they did (but I should have thought to ask our training co-ordinater to check for me). I digress.... Our first "total immersion" experience involved changing a damaged wheel on an F150. I was extremely busy with other tasks and told the apprentice, several times, to read the appropriate section in the WSM. He did but never quite got to the part "installing the sensor, cradle and band".... IIRC, 27 in/lb is the torque spec and quite easy to exceed with 1/4" ratchet... A new band is US stock only - a week away and I have to jerry rig this thing to keep the customer happy. Fast forward to Friday last.... My young lion decided not to ask me because I will either ask to see his OASIS report or have him show me what part of the WSM he is having trouble understanding. He aked another tech ( a "fresh" journeyman ) where the TPMS sensor was located... (one point for him). The tech started his reply with "I think...." (minus one for both).... and I have to jerry rig...... For any techs from Saskatchewan. There is a Freestar heading your way with a really F%^&& up looking TPMS strap on the left front.... don't laugh - a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.... Back to my question.... This young fellow shows promise (and we are in a real bind for living, breathing bodies in this trade right now).... what can I do to get him to use the resources we have and to avoid micro-managing??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Well Jim, I would lean towards lack of experience here, unless of course this is not the first time to have an issue like this. As far as I am concerned, an apprentice should ask, ask, ask and ask again if not 100% sure on how to do something, and not be too proud to ask someone to check his or her work. Did I mention they should not feel afraid to ask (the right person) for help or advice? I think perhaps a good talking to about the current situation might be a good start. Remember, if he does not like to read or train, the future does not look too bright. And... being the shop foreman (or chopped foreskin as my wife likes to call it), I would think that you should have the same STARS2 access as your training co-ordinator... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted April 1, 2007 Author Share Posted April 1, 2007 The thing that is burning my butt, Alex, is that he has had trouble with the exact same things (TPMS sensors) and didn't learn from the first go-round that the WSM can be his friend. I made a promise to all of our guys.... and I am far from the worlds greatest tech..... that I would give them the opportunity to be the best tech that they can ever be. And I hope I can fulfill that promise... As for the shop foreskin.... I replaced a coffee drinking, self-righteous, know nothing whose only claims to fame were the trail of half drunk coffee cups left around the shop and the log splitter he built using company time and materials.... While management likes having me around, they aren't quite ready for my style of operating.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Kaylor Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 make him buy one. that will teach him to keep an eye out. too many techs have the attitude that the shop will pay for their f ups. i do to an extent with my guys, but they realize that the more they mess up, the less bonus they get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Jim you could always pickup one of those electrical dog collars with the remote and give a zap every now and again.( just kidding) When I have a new guy here in parts the first thing I stress to him is that "There are no stupid questions just stupid assumptions" and we all know what "assume" means. I think a good start would be sitting him down and having a good talk about his performance so far, but yet try not to be-little him and take the wind out of his sail. If he is a good prospect then I think he will come around. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/2cents.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted April 5, 2007 Author Share Posted April 5, 2007 Joey, what I have found, over the years, is that making a tech pay for anything that he broke (either through the luck of the draw or sheer stupidity) will have him trying to hide stuff along the way. Having a customer tell us that something like this has happened is far worse than having the tech tell us. Our shop has a policy that we would rather carry a guys mistake and learn from it than possibly lose a customer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Joey, what I have found, over the years, is that making a tech pay for anything that he broke (either through the luck of the draw or sheer stupidity) will have him trying to hide stuff along the way. That, and it's against the employment standards act... at least in Ontario it is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Kaylor Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 Joey, what I have found, over the years, is that making a tech pay for anything that he broke (either through the luck of the draw or sheer stupidity) will have him trying to hide stuff along the way. Having a customer tell us that something like this has happened is far worse than having the tech tell us. Our shop has a policy that we would rather carry a guys mistake and learn from it than possibly lose a customer. bad luck is one thing, i will eat everything that happens if my techs are smart about it and didnt do something that is absolutely retarded (like do the same thing twice, such as what you had happen) each one of my guys will immediately tell one of us if there is a problem or they broke something. i will always take care of them too, such as the instance we are in right now: doing a tune up, found the prior shop had crossthreaded the plugs into a 3.9 dakota, breaking off the groundstrap in the head. now i have to pull the head and fix it. i take care of them if its not their fault. as ron white says "you cant fix stupid" /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneGorniak Posted April 5, 2007 Share Posted April 5, 2007 It's against the standards here in Alberta as well, Alex. I allways tell apprentices that no question is a stupid question and to never be afriad of asking. I also tell them that if they are not asking, they are not trying to learn. Tough one, Jim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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