Lack of training

Telecaster · 21 Oct 2017 at 09:17

For the past 10 months or so I've been asked to try and help out in the other side of our firm - one side is new installations, the other service/repair/maintenance - I'm on the install side of things and in the position where I know what I'm on with and can be left to my own devices.

Someone put in their notice from the service side of things earlier this year and I was asked if I wanted to fill the role and accepted, then the guy changed his mind and decided to stay. Since then I've had sporadic training on the service side of things (not helped by the guy I have been shadowing isn't 100% sure what he's doing anyway) and only when my side of the job isn't busy, so basically some time spent on it earlier this year and then a big break all through the summer as that is when installs are flat out, then back to some sporadic training these past few weeks.

The boss seems to think I should know what I'm doing by now and keeps sending me out on service jobs by myself with barely any electrical training to my name and I'm expected to diagnose and trace electrical faults on hundreds of completely different pieces of equipment without any form of manufacturers drawings etc.

This is starting to get me down and I wish I'd never said yes to it earlier in the year, we are a tiny firm and the boss has zero time to train anybody or can afford to take people out of their job to do it.

I don't want to rock the boat by telling him I want to go back to how I was, because the other reason he wanted me to do it was for holiday cover because when we have people off we're really pushed for manpower.

How can I sort this out without it getting ugly? I'm covering call out this weekend and I've got to go to a job this afternoon and I've got no idea what I'm doing, totally demoralised and it's me that has to face the customer and explain the situation when I walk out having not fixed something and left them with a still broken unit they were expecting to be back in service.

Caged · 21 Oct 2017 at 14:25

At some point you're going to have to say something. Ask to have a half-hour chat with your boss and explain the issues.

It's not in the interest of the company to pay somebody to go out and not get a job completed because they aren't sure what they are doing, so it's surprising that you'd even need to be the one to bring it up. Are they just expecting you to magically learn by osmosis? Are they setting you up to fail on purpose?

To be captain hindsight for a moment, the above is a great example why you should put caveats in place when asked to step up at work - doesn't have to be super formal, just an email to outline that you're happy to be given the opportunity, but would require training before considering it as an official part of your role, as well as being paid appropriately for the added value you are going to bring once you're up to speed in both areas.

Telecaster · 21 Oct 2017 at 18:12

Like I say, it's a tiny firm, 4 of us on the tools and that includes the boss, we all came to work for him via knowing him first so formal stuff like emails etc would seem a bit odd. He is ok as bosses go but he does seem to think that things happen by magic sometimes.

It's a weird set up how he can get away with sending out staff not 100% trained, it doesn't always come back on him and he usually gets around it if it's an issue where one of us is unlikely to have the experience/training to deal with a certain job.

I really regret offering to step up, the role is easily within my capabilities but only if the correct time and training is put into it, just having me shadow someone barely more experienced than me for a few weeks and then kicking me out on my own isn't how I operate best, I'm the sort of person that needs to know everything about everything before I'm happy doing something, I'm the complete opposite of someone able to 'wing it'.

The problem I see is that if I sit down and tell him the training I've had from the other guy is pretty rubbish because he's not that good then this is going to reflect bad on this other guy and can only come back to me, the boss thinks this chap is trained and knowledgeable but in reality he is winging it just as much as me only he is happier to work like that.

Edit: Plus there's no pay increase from it, it's just basically a job swap from install to service.

Holst1981 · 21 Oct 2017 at 18:23

In such a small business you need to be honest.

Sounds like a mess up might be expensive or dangerous.

Explain your not comfortable and want more training with somebody with more experience.
I wouldn't criticize the other guys work or ability, but some people are poor teachers. Just say he knows what to do but can't explain why....

I'm happy to wing it more than most, but some jobs need proper training.

Good luck.

Caged · 21 Oct 2017 at 22:16

What is it that you do? I'd be surprised if your insurers would cover any issues caused by somebody without adequate training for the task.

Telecaster · 22 Oct 2017 at 09:56

Caged said:
What is it that you do? I'd be surprised if your insurers would cover any issues caused by somebody without adequate training for the task.

We only need to be deemed "competent" hence none of us are actually qualified for anything. I think the old fashioned term for it is 'time served'.

Caged · 22 Oct 2017 at 10:40

I don't think having "no idea what you're doing", to the point it is starting to depress you means you're competent. That's not having a go at you, but you need to watch out in case there's a chance of whatever it is you work on causing injury to people.

Rroff · 22 Oct 2017 at 10:50

Telecaster said:
We only need to be deemed "competent" hence none of us are actually qualified for anything. I think the old fashioned term for it is 'time served'.

Always makes me laugh at work with the "To be worked on by competent persons only" signs.

Caged said:
doesn't have to be super formal

Sadly in my experience anything other than super formal often gets brushed past - I was promised the earth with a semi-formal negotiation to cover a management role over the Christmas period - now they are talking down the promised extra pay and benefits probably hoping I just passively go along with it having agreed.

Telecaster · 22 Oct 2017 at 13:57

Caged said:
I don't think having "no idea what you're doing", to the point it is starting to depress you means you're competent. That's not having a go at you, but you need to watch out in case there's a chance of whatever it is you work on causing injury to people.

The worst part is going to fit parts that someone else has ordered on a previous visit, only for said parts not to cure the problem and then having to try and bluff my way out of leaving site without having fixed it.

Think I should start job searching because I can't really see it changing, then I've got the problem of finding something that pays what I earn now for unqualified work.

dowie · 22 Oct 2017 at 18:39

If this relates to electrical equipment is there not a safety aspect here that ought to override any fears of losing face in front of your boss? If you don't feel comfortable/competent doing these tasks then probs better to speak up.

Caged · 22 Oct 2017 at 19:16

I have no idea how your company copes to be honest. Would you expect to get written up for destroying an expensive part that you had no idea how to fit? It seems like it's impossible for you to succeed/progress, so maybe a job search isn't a bad idea.

You should at least have some sort of written record of expressing that you aren't comfortable working on this stuff, in case you injure yourself or somebody else by doing work that you aren't trained to do.

Telecaster · 23 Oct 2017 at 16:29

Caged said:
I have no idea how your company copes to be honest. Would you expect to get written up for destroying an expensive part that you had no idea how to fit? It seems like it's impossible for you to succeed/progress, so maybe a job search isn't a bad idea.

No. We get tons of parts that are crib deaths so no problem with writing off something if it's a fault of my own as we haven't paid for it. It's mainly warranty repairs we are doing so the parts come from the manufacturer, and they're pretty crap quality.