Free Help!

[mark]

I'm in desperate need of an extra body to help run my network. What do other people do - has anyone got any suggestions?

I've tried contacting the local job centre and colleges, but haven't had one reply yet in 4 months. My school isn't in a position immediately to pay much for another person, although it was recommended by some external consultants that they needed at least 2 full time staff. [90 Staff/ 900 students/ 300 machines/ 3 IT Suites]

[tarquel]

Free help mate...

You'd be lucky lol

Nath

[russdev]

ok we are going to next term use some of the year 9's to do some more of simply stuff etc..

Work expierence students from local college,

if not that much money then put out feels out for students who need year placements at local uni's

Russ

[andy]

We have a modern apprentice from the local college - here for a year - paid peanuts. Apparently the college is desparate for places for them - we had 7 at the interview. So I am surprised your college hasn't got back to you.

For the past two weeks, year 10 has been on work experience - some of them couldn't get placements so we had one in here!

For generall 'box shifting' and the like - we tend to get a handful of students to help.

Andy.

[GrumbleDook]

I do the same as Andy ...

We have a Uni student here for 15 months (the summer hols is an overlap to help cover for the rest of us having holidays) and it the 3rd year of a 4 year Comp Sci degree ...

It's worked very well this year ... and we have our student ready for next year (she starts next week in fact).

Depending on where you are though you may have to compete for them ... if you are within commuter distance of big places (London, Cardiff, etc) then you may lose out.

Also, try speaking with other schools ... when you are a bit short or have a large project on the go get someone to pop over and help ... and when they are in need of help, you go to them.

[Mango_RW]

work experience is definately the route to go, we have a year 10 with us all day every monday and we can set him on the jobs that are niggling at us that are low priority but worth while none the less.

It has worked effectively and I have experienced going to an organisation and doing a similar sort of thing when I was in sixth form. You can be qualified up to the eyeballs but if you dont have some experience you will never get a look in.

[GrumbleDook]

work experience is definately the route to go, we have a year 10 with us all day every monday and we can set him on the jobs that are niggling at us that are low priority but worth while none the less.

It has worked effectively and I have experienced going to an organisation and doing a similar sort of thing when I was in sixth form. You can be qualified up to the eyeballs but if you dont have some experience you will never get a look in.

The problem I have with short term work experience (ie kids on work experience) is that they can find it limiting because they are not doing some of the *really* techie stuff due to the short amount of time we have them for ... There is also the problem of admin rights and certain passwords (I am *not* letting some 15 yr old know our main hardware password, need for BIOS changes ... eg, changing to boot from floppy to re-image workstations!)

They end up cleaning, or moving kit ... I know it is poor use, but we are limited sometimes. A long term placement is more flexible ... they *are* a member of staff ... the same way a GTP student is.

[russdev]

when using short term good thing is updating documentation, stripping hardware etc..

good idea for college work placement students is to have them one day a week at least then it gives you chance to build things up...

and that one week might have working with you at least then gives them varity and then other week have going around school on ther own documenting stuff.

Russ

[Alex]

I do the same as Andy ...

We have a Uni student here for 15 months (the summer hols is an overlap to help cover for the rest of us having holidays) and it the 3rd year of a 4 year Comp Sci degree ...

It's worked very well this year ... and we have our student ready for next year (she starts next week in fact).

Depending on where you are though you may have to compete for them ... if you are within commuter distance of big places (London, Cardiff, etc) then you may lose out.

Also, try speaking with other schools ... when you are a bit short or have a large project on the go get someone to pop over and help ... and when they are in need of help, you go to them.

aye students on sandwich years work well.

Can pay them peanuts & you dont necessarily get monkeys. I think we get away with 9k/12months

[GrumbleDook]

aye students on sandwich years work well.

Can pay them peanuts & you dont necessarily get monkeys. I think we get away with 9k/12months

10k for us ... but that is because even though a lot of the students are from Leicester, we are still close to London, and some of them get 18k for going down there ...

[Alex]

aye the recommend more like 11-12k from leeds / huddersfield / bradford, but for the workload at the schools round here most of the students are happy to take less.

[mark]

Thanks a lot guys [I was out today getting updated to our counties latest build of our email system - well, the first release as we were beta testing before [slackware/exim/squid/squirrelmail].]

I will definately chase up the colleges now - maybe it just too late for Uni placements, but I shall make enquiries anyhow.

I regularly have kids on work experience - two at a time in recent years. This years were the best yet, lots of help. I do want longer term help, after all, it takes a while to train someone up to be really useful.

hmm - must ask about the Modern Apprentice thing Andy - thanks.

Also, try speaking with other schools ... when you are a bit short or have a large project on the go get someone to pop over and help ... and when they are in need of help, you go to them.

How ya fixed Nath?!?

[tarquel]

Always time for you mate lol

I doubt you cud get me for niwt tho - u'd have to speak to dafydd/head. You know I'd be up for it

Later,
N.

[krb548]

We have a modern apprentice from the local college - here for a year - paid peanuts. Apparently the college is desparate for places for them - we had 7 at the interview.

Andy, which college was that from?
There are 2 of us here @ Priory and we want someone to look after all the web stuff, so we are going to consider a modern apprentice.

[drjturner]

Hello

1500 jobs have just gone at Time and Tiny HQ and 78 shops around UK. I am sure you will have lots of applicants.


Dan