Taking on an Apprentice

[JamesBray]

Hi Everyone,

I am the IT Systems Manager for a large secondary school on the south coast, and for a long time we have been running with a team of two members of technical staff (myself and one technician). Due to funding, this has not changed for quite a while, and recently we have been considering the idea of taking on an apprentice (insert Star Wars joke here).

We are looking for someone aged 18 really, so that they are no younger than any of our 6th formers, and ideally someone who has done some kind of IT at college, but thats not essential.

Does anyone has any experiance of taking on an apprentice?

How good is the quality of training that the they get outside of work and how many days a week are they on site?

Any input would be great!

Thanks,
James

[DevilsAdvocate]

I started out as an Apprentice. Did one day a week at college, the rest on site. If i'm totally honest the college side of things was pretty pointless as it was learning stuff I never used in the job (Spreadsheets and the like). However the experience I gained allowed me to move onto a much better school! I'd do it again if I had to relive the last 3 years.

[TheScarfedOne]

I would recommend contacting your local University. Most IT Courses require a "placement" year in industry. This is what we do here - and have had great students year on year.

EDIT: The benefit here, you get someone who really wants the job (they have to do well or they repeat the year), and also they have a good amount of experience too!

[mossj]

Hi Everyone,

....
We are looking for someone aged 18 really, so that they are no younger than any of our 6th formers, and ideally someone who has done some kind of IT at college, but thats not essential.

....
Any input would be great!

Thanks,
James

Do you not think that asking for someone whose 18 only is a bit of ageism? You have no idea how good someone 16/17 is at handling the responsibility, nor do you know that someone isn't looking to retrain later in life (one of my colleagues retrained in his 50's).

I was 19 when I started here, and took 40 sixth formers on a IT lecture trip. split into 4 groups one member of staff for each, including a HOD and a experienced TA. My group was the only one that knew where to go, when to go, and more importantly how to respect people. They arrived before time and always quietly. Whilst the other groups where late, always shouting etc etc

P.S it was sorted alphabetically so no the trip organiser didn't go easy on me.

[Dom_]

We had a student on her placement year at my last place, she sat on the helpdesk and played stick cricket for a year. Oh she also built one image, which screwed up the lab! Be careful

[krb548]

For the last three years I have approached our local uni in Preston and asked them for a trainee for 12 months.

This is working well for us. In most cases the students do not have loads of info on systems so we can tailor their experience to fit in with us. Gives them the chance to have a go at all sorts of things around the school and leaves me with time to concentrate on bigger issues whilst they do all the jobbing jobs that need doing.

I would highly recommend it.

[Pyroman]

I was 17 when i started my first techie job and it was at a school with a 6th form (some of who were 19) it's not so much to do with age but more to do with maturity

[coquet636]

Hi Everyone,

I am the IT Systems Manager for a large secondary school on the south coast, and for a long time we have been running with a team of two members of technical staff (myself and one technician). Due to funding, this has not changed for quite a while, and recently we have been considering the idea of taking on an apprentice (insert Star Wars joke here).

We are looking for someone aged 18 really, so that they are no younger than any of our 6th formers, and ideally someone who has done some kind of IT at college, but thats not essential.

Does anyone has any experiance of taking on an apprentice?

How good is the quality of training that the they get outside of work and how many days a week are they on site?

Any input would be great!

Thanks,
James

I have the pleasure of having had a good and bad apprentice.

When we were looking for one we contacted the local college and told them of the need for an appretice and they sent 4 candidates. One stood out by a mile and employed him and that was 2 and a bit years ago and he has been brilliant and althought the appreticeship work he had to do wasnt good they put him on the CCNA course aswell which was of more use. He is on here as clarky2k3 so maybe work asking him what he thought of it.


The second apprentice started off well but although he worked well here he wasnt attending college and time keeping was poor. So after discussing it with him and stating he had to do the college work to continue his placement with us, his quality of work here started to dip so after a few meetings we cancelled the apprenticeship with realative ease...

They both did one day a week at college and fours days on-site with us.

[Pyroman]

modern apprentice - edugeek thread

[FN-GM]

I was 17 when i started my first techie job and it was at a school with a 6th form (some of who were 19) it's not so much to do with age but more to do with maturity

I agree. I started as a Techie at 16 (a proper one not an apprentice) and i did the job well in my option and my last school. I am now 18 and still doing this work at another school due to the old one closing.

It the individual and not the age of a person.

[plexer]

I think the idea of we'll take on someone who's older than the sixthform so he doesn't hit on them is a complete non starter really.

Ben

[Brpilot99]

Hi give Paragon training a call ... they are in Bournemouth and specialise in apprenticeships finding candidates for companies and companies for candidates !!


Welcome - Paragon Skills for Industry

[michael2k6]

Hi all,

I started in a school at 16 as Data manager and assistant exams officer.
It wasn't easy as it was a sixth form and most of my mates (and enemies) had gone into 6th form at the school.
The school had 2100 kids and it wasn't easy getting respect from them. But they soon learnt and the important thing is i was mature enough to deal with it and i had a lot of support from the staff, and some of the students.

If you're willing to support them when they need it, then it will be worth it for them and for you. I can see what you're saying about the age thing and the 6th formers - but use it as something to split two equal people by rather than an essential quality.

I'm now working for Serco Learning as a technical engineer, after being in support. If no one had of employed me until i was older than the 6th formers, i would of only started at the beginning two years ago, i'm 21 now. None of the schools i've gone to help support or give consultancy to seemed to have a problem, and i feel i left a good mark on the school i worked at before.

Rock on the young folk!

[samba_man]

I started my current position at 17 at a secondary school with 6th form, im 19 now, had no trouble regarding lack of respect as long as your authority is used

[powdarrmonkey]

had no trouble regarding lack of respect as long as your authority is used

On the contrary, I fully believe that authority comes with respect, not vice versa (and yes, that's experience talking).