Axminster Warrington store closing

[AJB Temple]

^^ Depressing but unsurprising.

 

[Trevanion]

Work is definitely slowing down, the bigger companies are awaiting the current govs announcements on the 1.5 million homes they say they’ll build.
As for the supply of new tradesmen, a local joinery firm of good standing has basically given up on apprenticeships, the trend of 50% going to university has meant that they no longer have applicants that are bright, interested and motivated. They just get too many bottom rung no hopers that are never going to make it , in the rare cases they get a a really good new start , they’re off to go “ house bashing” as soon as they get their tickets. They’ve had apprentices they’ve let go at the start of year 3 because they are just costing them too much money in terms of mistakes at the bench, poor work rates and the constant oversight they need. As the boss says “even 10 years ago, we’d have expected a decent apprentice to cover their costs by the end of year one and earn us a few quid by middle of year two”.

@Artiglio, you just hit the nail on the head and said word for word what I've been saying for years.

We had an apprentice for a year a couple of years ago (which I wrote a bit about here: https://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/threads/training-apprenticeships-and-other-musings.8341) and it was an absolute dead-loss as we had to let them go after the first year as they were simply not progressing even with the support and relatively easy-going workshop, they wouldn't have lasted more than a couple of weeks in a more hectic workshop with less forgiving overseers.

Yet he expects to pass his exams in a couple of months (he won't) and be on full chippie's wage next year. 50 years ago he wouldn't have lasted 3 months. What was that scraping the barrel again?

The scary part is that he likely will pass the exams, the bar has been lowered to the point that anyone can pass and it is an open secret in the education sector that "everyone passes" to fulfill the quotas of getting boots on site, as well as the technical colleges getting their £10,000 per pupil passed government grant.

 

[Lons]

I'd echo almost all of what has been said. The money in grants and virtually fee loans during Covid was handed out with no checks and it was openly admitted that the Government knew it would be abused but that it would have been more costly and too much delay to regulate properly. The number of new, high end vans bought during that period was astonishing. I know a number of those tradesmen personally.

Low grade youngsters coming into the trades has been happening for a long time now. I used to give up a Friday to teach in the construction department at a local college. There were half a dozen full timers and the rest on block release from local small companies and there were very few who had anything remotely positive in both attitude or ability. They knew full well that the chances of passing the course were very high as it was our job to ensure they got through because as Trev said the college needed payments to survive. I found it both eye opening and demoralising.

Like others, my own business was 100% word of mouth, my prices were fair and non negotiable and was carried out using materials and methods I specified. If anyone wanted a cheap and cheerful then they would have to get someone else. I fiercely protected my reputation and with only a few exceptions didn't juggle jobs so customers had to wait and they did but I always turned up and carried out what was agreed. I rarely took a deposit just stage payments on large jobs, all quotes and estimates detailed and in writing and insisted on payment immediately on completion so all parties knew exactly where they stood. I only ever had 3 people late in paying and I refused to do future work for them.

Not the way for everyone but it worked for me and as I was in the category of no mortgage or debts, kids left home and a working wife so didn't need to earn a huge salary, could afford to be choosy and I had always far more work than I could handle. After years of managing for other companies all I was looking for was a fair and reasonable return without the hassle of too many employees and the satisfaction of being answerable only to myself. I've been retired 8 years and still get requests which always receive a smiling two word reply.