
Originally Posted by
BoristheBiter
I trained on less than minimum wage, it's called an apprenticeship, I now own a business.
Ditto. I think I started on about ¼ of what a journeyman got, which seemed right then. It seems right now, apprentices don’t actually earn a business anything, what small contribution they make is more than offset by the loss of the tradesmen’s time in teaching them. A lot of my mates got semi-skilled jobs paying twice what I got. That hasn't been the case with any of them for several decades. I used to say that apprentices were an investment in the company's future, but they rarely stick around long enough to make that believable.

Originally Posted by
BoristheBiter
I have gone out of my way to help a few that have no quals to get a start, sure it's a package from WINZ, but without that I wouldn't be able to afford to do it.
Also ditto. And, like me, I know many businessmen who have given it a good shot and given up. Small technically focused enterprises can’t afford unskilled labour, (and that describes a bloody big hunk of NZ business). Also, unfortunately “unskilled” and “labour” are the best you can hope for from WINZ.
Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there lurks the skid demon
Bookmarks