Apprentice, 17, bullied at work...

We work in "the trades", and I have heard a lot worse than that on building sites etc, I simply give as good as I get.

Will be interesting to see what happens when this guy loses his gopher though. Sounds like to him an apprentice is simply a cheap way of getting an assistant.

To me it sounds like your son needs to take this as a lesson learned and find another employer ASAP, but not to expect that it will not all be moonlight and roses. He needs to develop a thick skin.

As for calling clients things like knob, I have heard that on many occasions, but then when the client is around they are polite and respectful towards them. Clients get called all things under the sun, especially when they change their mind at an inconvenient time, and many of them would expect this, but so long as they are treated respectfully when they are in contact with the business then all is well. Sounds like being nasty behind their backs, but it really is not, it is a way to let off steam and get rid of the frustrations of the job.

Just one note, I am female. You can imagine what I have to put up with on building sites, but I give as good as I get, maybe your son needs to do the same?

Sending your son into a loft without protective clothing though, is not acceptable. But would it not be an idea for your son to get things like a face mask in case this happens again? They are not expensive, and, so long as your son is not in shorts and a T shirt, would really be all he needs to protect against the insulation, gloves might just make his job harder.

As for working through lunch, we often do that just for the sake of getting the job done on time.

As for drilling through plasterboard, your son must have been able to hear him drilling on the other side, what on earth was he doing with his hand directly on the plasterboard? Assuming this was in the form of a wall, then he could not see through it, and you simply do not have any part of your body in contact with a wall when someone is drilling through it :eek:

Actually, reading this through, you have to ask if your son is really suited to being an electrician? 4 Years is a long time to spend on an apprenticeship if he cannot take what happens on building sites etc, not sure that he would be able to run a business on the basis of just small jobs in peoples's houses!

Les79 wrote: »

I think it is a fine line in workplaces like this.... You've got people who prefer a hands-on sort of job and, without stereotyping, a fair number have a sort of laddish and *rough* way about them.

Not justifying it like, but calling a customer a "knob" and "tools" behind their back is not surprising to me... Also, the pay docking may be justified if your son has been making a hash of the job and not learning (employers like this usually have one style of teaching, and if you don't show progress they think you aren't cut out for the job).

As practical advice I would suggest that your son become a bit thick-skinned if he wishes to pursue a career in this role because this sort of behaviour (in a milder form) may be fairly common in this line of work, but on this occasion I fully agree with what other posters have said and sounds like a lot of lines have been crossed.

I'm surprised it's surprising to anyone. I'm sure I've been called worse than that and I've probably consumed a bit of waiter spit over the years too.