Jedi master

Members online

Total: 554 (members: 1, guests: 553)

Share this page

John j

John j

Mono Don
Can you teach.
I don't think I got the patience. Other kid with me was top of class at colleges nd he not quiet there yet but still s**t hot compaired to some I.ve seen who have been doing it years . It's just his attention to detail now and cleaniness . I ironed all pettiness they teach at college out . Had kids who never done it before ......dont know where they are now lol. I do believe you have to learn by being on trowel . To me best thing is go to college then get with a time served plasterer who can fine tune ye
 
John j said:
Can you teach.
I don't think I got the patience. Other kid with me was top of class at colleges nd he not quiet there yet but still s**t hot compaired to some I.ve seen who have been doing it years . It's just his attention to detail now and cleaniness . I ironed all pettiness they teach at college out . Had kids who never done it before ......dont know where they are now lol. I do believe you have to learn by being on trowel . To me best thing is go to college then get with a time served plasterer who can fine tune ye
Click to expand...

Your probably right but I didn't do the college part, just jumped on with an old boy and only really started learning when doing it.
 
Working with a good plasterer is the best way,but he's not a magician, the hunger and talent has to be there.And the patience.
 
Thats why it makes me giggle when there so keen to start but last a week because it was to hard for them.
Your real apprenticeship starts on the trowel with a good spread..a qualification in my eyes is a begginer peice of paper to say youve covered most topics on plastering and have the knowledge but that doesn't give you the heart to get through the first couple of shitty years learning.
You really have got to want to do this trade.
As for teaching i think that option comes in when you've physically got nothing left in the tank. I always said I couldn't because ive got no patients but that's because I'm earning and on a budget..time.. but in a different environment were you haven't got them worries I probably could.
 
I asked lad I got what they told him at college . Then told him to forget most of that lol. They were skimming 2 boards and giving it bout 4 flatteners between coats . Told him he,lol have no arm left by time he,s 30 lol. I also asked what I do they told you not to. He said they told us to come down from top then up . Where I go down from to then up then kneel down n do bottom foot . I said when your knees n back are like mine you,lol do same lol
 
I've got a few lads who've been to College and one of thems just come on as a Labourer/who can do s bit and told me he payed £4K for a 6 month course and he can't do anything lol! The best ones I've got started college left after a month and just worked full time with a plasterer. So I tend to talk them out of college as I don't think it's worth the hasstle.
The thing that does my head in the most is as soon as they can skim a cupboard wall they think they should be plasterers money and they don't want to the labouring any more
 
Most of my apprenticeship was spent on the mixer and going to College aswell after I finished college I got more time on the tools because the next apprentice started. It was a joke really being used as a full time labourer and I nearly jacked it in a few times but I stuck at it, I wouldn't be very good at teaching I don't think I find they get in the way a bit
 
I do like it when lad says I.m gonna do so much . And I.ll say lot of wall there . Anyway he.ll get it on but then ye can see he.s chasing his ass . So I.ll say told ye so .
 
Done fat too long at mixer. Far far too long. Was took hand outa. Near jacked whole thing a couple times. Thankful I didn't, for whatever reason I seem to like this trade and wanted to push on and do it.
 
A bit of tough love never hurt anyone buy I've seen guys shouting constantly at their apprentices all day long and removing any spirit they have. Not many kids have a thick skin at 16.
 
I saw a builder shout at a kid for Marking new concrete floor then few hours later put customers kids name in it . Lol
 
I think best for lads to get straight at it both on the trowel and mixer so he gets to know how to use the stuff and how to mix it to suit,too many lads get held back and used labouring full time,


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
John j said:
I asked lad I got what they told him at college . Then told him to forget most of that lol. They were skimming 2 boards and giving it bout 4 flatteners between coats . Told him he,lol have no arm left by time he,s 30 lol. I also asked what I do they told you not to. He said they told us to come down from top then up . Where I go down from to then up then kneel down n do bottom foot . I said when your knees n back are like mine you,lol do same lol
Click to expand...

that unfortunately is the sorry state of the construction industry colleges now.... I know that someone who has left college and then went straight back to college as an instructor with no past onsite/real world experience... That to me is not good and teaches the next generation of so called plasterers bad habits...
 
As far as I know there is no formal plaster program here in the states but I do know a guy who teaches courses to people who want to learn but nothing accredited.

When I started I was laboring a solid year before I ever touched the tools. Spent a lot of time mixing, cleaning, and mostly watching. There was a lot to learn on the mixing as we would make our own finishes out of the basic materials and had to learn the ratios and how to adjust them based on application/weather/plasterer preference. Once I started on the tools it was like learning to walk again. Felt like a total newbie on the crew. Had to swallow a lot of pride when I realized how horrible I was at it. No substitute for doing it though. Only so much you can learn from watching. The first time you have to run to save a ceiling that is going off too fast you really start learning some tricks to avoid that in the future. ;)

I've taught a few people plastering and I tend to do it the way I was taught because I feel it worked relatively well. (they do start with the tools faster since mixing is a lot easier now that everything generally comes ready to mix) It does kill your productivity when you have to watch everything they do and often re-do it but if you view it as an investment in future productivity it generally pays off. (until they decide to go off on their own.) I do enjoy teaching someone who wants to learn though. I think the attitude of the student is the most important for their success and the patience of the teacher.
 
I couldn't possibly hand hold an apprentice while trying to earn money on my own gauges...only for them to turn round and steal my builders by undercutting me!

(Yes...had it done)
 
CeeVee said:
I couldn't possibly hand hold an apprentice while trying to earn money on my own gauges...only for them to turn round and steal my builders by undercutting me!

(Yes...had it done)
Click to expand...
Neither would I unless it was my own son and I don't think he'll be going down that road.
 
We all had to learn from at least one other spread when starting out,if a lad wanted to learn I'd definately try to show him the ropes,not a young lad willing to work at plastering here in NI,don't know a lad younger get than me at it and I'm 30,


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
CeeVee said:
I couldn't possibly hand hold an apprentice while trying to earn money on my own gauges...only for them to turn round and steal my builders by undercutting me!

(Yes...had it done)
Click to expand...
And bet we.ve all done it . Kid with me says he not leave but when mortgage n kids come along priorities change
 
I recently had a labourer for 2 weeks and it was beginning to cause me so many problems! He had no enthusiasm which I noticed early on but I thought I'd try and praise him when he done something well to make him feel good/proud of himself and maybe start to try and enjoy it a little. TBH I knew he wouldn't last after the first week! It was the simple things like having water ready for me, buckets clean and enough bags of gear there ready for me to use. (IMO this is simple stuff that anybody can do)

It seemed like every time I asked him to get something or do something he wasn't even around and either on the phone or moaning that he didn't feel well or was aching (more like you just don't like a bit of hard work) I think all the youngsters these days don't even realise they are born and want an easy ride.

I remember my first ever day and I had to knock up sand and cement all day long and bucket it up a ladder to two spreads!! Honestly when I woke up the next day I was as stiff as a surf board and thought nonway am I going in but I stuck it out and so glad I did as I enjoy what I do very much now.

Anyway getting back to it after the first week I spoke to him and said do you want to come in next week and start fresh again or just leave with no hard feelings if it wasn't for you. He replied with I definitely want to come in and will get the hang of it so I said ok fine let's start again Monday and see how it goes. Well he didn't show up the first day as he didn't get up asked me to come in at 10am :LOL:, which I replied and said no don't bother but after a while I called and said come in tomorrow and we will forget about today. Next day arrived and he didn't want to be there, he was moaning all day about nothing and couldn't even bring me buckets of water in ready! Like a man idiot I had him the next day and same stuff again, standing around, moaning and when I asked him to do anything he was on the phone. That was it I'd had enough and told him to leave as was costing me time and money lookin after a child. He told me to f**k off and I calmly pulled him to one side and told him I know you don't care but I come to work to feed my family this is my reputation here and I don't need your attitude around customers and especially when there are children about.

In a nut shell don't think you can find the staff anymore and all it done was slow me down and cause me to mix up, get my own water, get my own plaster ect and clean up and wash out. These are simple things for a labourer and I didn't even ask him to mix up in this time really.

Rand over and breathe.. :coffe:
 
PlasteRightUK said:
I recently had a labourer for 2 weeks and it was beginning to cause me so many problems! He had no enthusiasm which I noticed early on but I thought I'd try and praise him when he done something well to make him feel good/proud of himself and maybe start to try and enjoy it a little. TBH I knew he wouldn't last after the first week! It was the simple things like having water ready for me, buckets clean and enough bags of gear there ready for me to use. (IMO this is simple stuff that anybody can do)

It seemed like every time I asked him to get something or do something he wasn't even around and either on the phone or moaning that he didn't feel well or was aching (more like you just don't like a bit of hard work) I think all the youngsters these days don't even realise they are born and want an easy ride.

I remember my first ever day and I had to knock up sand and cement all day long and bucket it up a ladder to two spreads!! Honestly when I woke up the next day I was as stiff as a surf board and thought nonway am I going in but I stuck it out and so glad I did as I enjoy what I do very much now.

Anyway getting back to it after the first week I spoke to him and said do you want to come in next week and start fresh again or just leave with no hard feelings if it wasn't for you. He replied with I definitely want to come in and will get the hang of it so I said ok fine let's start again Monday and see how it goes. Well he didn't show up the first day as he didn't get up asked me to come in at 10am :LOL:, which I replied and said no don't bother but after a while I called and said come in tomorrow and we will forget about today. Next day arrived and he didn't want to be there, he was moaning all day about nothing and couldn't even bring me buckets of water in ready! Like a man idiot I had him the next day and same stuff again, standing around, moaning and when I asked him to do anything he was on the phone. That was it I'd had enough and told him to leave as was costing me time and money lookin after a child. He told me to f**k off and I calmly pulled him to one side and told him I know you don't care but I come to work to feed my family this is my reputation here and I don't need your attitude around customers and especially when there are children about.

In a nut shell don't think you can find the staff anymore and all it done was slow me down and cause me to mix up, get my own water, get my own plaster ect and clean up and wash out. These are simple things for a labourer and I didn't even ask him to mix up in this time really.

Rand over and breathe.. :coffe:
Click to expand...


I hate it when people dont take advantage of the chances they are given... on here we read so many people looking for just that chance and would bite your hand off for a start like that
 
Danny said:
I hate it when people dont take advantage of the chances they are given... on here we read so many people looking for just that chance and would bite your hand off for a start like that
Click to expand...
It really pissed me off mate, not only that but I helped him out with other things like boots ect and like I said I even said no hard feelings if it isn't for you. Feel like he took the piss but it is what it is. He had a chance to learn like you said but he didn't want to know.
 
PlasteRightUK said:
It really pissed me off mate, not only that but I helped him out with other things like boots ect and like I said I even said no hard feelings if it isn't for you. Feel like he took the piss but it is what it is. He had a chance to learn like you said but he didn't want to know.
Click to expand...
I find most are like that now.
They see these idiots on tv and online getting riches for doing frig all and think life should be easy street.

Lad who works with me is 12 years younger and all he does is moan. Hes always in pain, or jobs a hassle or this isnt right...that isnt right. "Cant we just do this?" or "Cant we just do that?"

I remember years ago when we all just cracked on.
 
CeeVee said:
I find most are like that now.
They see these idiots on tv and online getting riches for doing frig all and think life should be easy street.

Lad who works with me is 12 years younger and all he does is moan. Hes always in pain, or jobs a hassle or this isnt right...that isnt right. "Cant we just do this?" or "Cant we just do that?"

I remember years ago when we all just cracked on.
Click to expand...
Exactly mate!! This kid was 15 years younger than me and I have more stamina in my little toe I think than he does at all :LOL:! Not only that because I was so behind due to being my own labourer as well I was working till 8pm to get the job done on my right schedule, even after moving like 10 bags of hardwall I said after that take ten minutes to try and keep him a little interested and with little rests. But that clearly didn't even work either lol. The youth today don't last 5 minutes it's an actual joke IMO as I remember grafting my nuts off at that age with a mortgage, car and family to support. They all want it handed to them on a plate!!
 
Then at 2pm he's asking me what time are we going to be finished haha, put the phone down crack on and the quicker I get done what I need to today we can go!
 
PlasteRightUK said:
It really pissed me off mate, not only that but I helped him out with other things like boots ect and like I said I even said no hard feelings if it isn't for you. Feel like he took the piss but it is what it is. He had a chance to learn like you said but he didn't want to know.
Click to expand...

the trouble is the next lad you take on may be the one but you may give him a harder time due to this lad.... either which way it is not good for anybody
 
Those that want to get on in life will do and those that dont wont... I hate hearing people moaning down teh pub that they dont have any money or they cant afford this that or the other... simple life choices can make the world of difference
 
Danny said:
Those that want to get on in life will do and those that dont wont... I hate hearing people moaning down teh pub that they dont have any money or they cant afford this that or the other... simple life choices can make the world of difference
Click to expand...
Totally agree with this I hear loads of people moaning about it but don't want to make any changes, goon out buying s**t they don't need all the time and don't want to work late or weekends if needed.
 
The only problem with lads not getting qualified is that they can't get on sites where you need a CSCS card. Also the majority of the lads who go to college for plastering do so because they can't get a start with a plasterer in the first place. I've worked in colleges in Yorkshire, Derbyshire & Lincolnshire and they all were the same.
 
PlasteRightUK said:
Totally agree with this I hear loads of people moaning about it but don't want to make any changes, goon out buying s**t they don't need all the time and don't want to work late or weekends if needed.
Click to expand...

On my bike test day a lad that was also doing his test at the same time with us was moaning all day about how skint he was and that he needed to pass his test today bla bla bla and because we were all mic'd up with eachother (bike lesson) I could not ignore him... At the end of the day he failed (i passed) and he was botching and whining and the instructor turned round me and said for f**k sake shut that c**t up...

Well I offered the chap a job earning ok money doing service I did not offer yet and on good money and he made every excuse under the sun why he couldnt do it etc etc (paying him £100 a day to deliver leaflets)

I recently saw the same loser working at tesco and he asked if my offer was still on the table I said nah mate I retired now... should have seen his face :D
 
I'll be honest in my opinion you don't need a cv, I've never used one in all my life and if they have asked if I have one I tell them no but this is where I have worked this is for how long, this is what I can do ect ect. It's always worked for me and 9/10 I get the position.
 
The Apprentice said:
The only problem with lads not getting qualified is that they can't get on sites where you need a CSCS card. Also the majority of the lads who go to college for plastering do so because they can't get a start with a plasterer in the first place. I've worked in colleges in Yorkshire, Derbyshire & Lincolnshire and they all were the same.
Click to expand...

I struggled like hell to get a start plastering, I busted my balls when I got a chance with a firm...
 
PlasteRightUK said:
I'll be honest in my opinion you don't need a cv, I've never used one in all my life and if they have asked if I have one I tell them no but this is where I have worked this is for how long, this is what I can do ect ect. It's always worked for me and 9/10 I get the position.
Click to expand...

I have not bothered with one in years... you hire me because you know I can do the job :D
 
Danny said:
On my bike test day a lad that was also doing his test at the same time with us was moaning all day about how skint he was and that he needed to pass his test today bla bla bla and because we were all mic'd up with eachother (bike lesson) I could not ignore him... At the end of the day he failed (i passed) and he was botching and whining and the instructor turned round me and said for f**k sake shut that c**t up...

Well I offered the chap a job earning ok money doing service I did not offer yet and on good money and he made every excuse under the sun why he couldnt do it etc etc (paying him £100 a day to deliver leaflets)

I recently saw the same loser working at tesco and he asked if my offer was still on the table I said nah mate I retired now... should have seen his face :D
Click to expand...
Now that is a perfect story about the youth of today and also losers who don't want to work that's all they do is make excuses it's so boring and totally annoys me in all fairness. f**k off and watch jezza drinking coke and getting fit rot with no teeth in ya head.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top