Apprentice or employee? - TilersForums.com

[Musivarius]

Ok, I'm just having thoughts about taking on someone next year so really haven't looked at all the paperwork involved yet but just wanted to get an idea.
I want to take on someone for a 2 year training. They would be trained in Roman mosaics with part of it involving modern tiling techniques (this part I'd be farming out to a pro tiler)

Should I start looking at taking on an apprentice or would it be easier to just employ?

There would be no recognised qualification at the end for the simple reason they would be the first person going through but I am looking at the posssibility of various accreditations for different stages.

 

[mikethetile]

could you take someone leaving tiling college and teach them mosaics

cheaper than sending them to college

 

[Musivarius]

Thanks that might be the way to go. I'd rather have someone with a practical background than an art one. I'd be focussing more on them learning to assist on large floor mosaics.

 

[Dan]

A mate of mine has an apprentice and if they're under a certain age they only need paying like 80 quid a week or something. And employee would need to be minimum wage, and you'd pay more tax etc I think too. That said minimum wage for under 18 or 21 or whatever isn't much.

Don't listen to me though! I've never had an apprentice.

Well done though for sharing your knowledge!

 

[davy_G]

A difficult but nice situatio to be in. I suppose you have to look at the short and long term costs to you and the short and long term benefits (revenue) and which ever suits you best.

I always use ad-hoc workers, paid them for the hours they work. I have a couple trained up in cutting my marks, mixing addy the way i like and doing things the way i do them. They dont fix tiles or grout at all but can do most other things and speed the process up alot.
Its surprising the time you spend fetching tools, tiles, mixing adhesive, cleaning tools down, setting up and then packing away. If you can spend all that time working and then get them trained up on fixing, especially mosaics to your standards then you can really benefit.

 

[david campbell]

the government contributs towards apprentics,as dan says they cover about £80 in the first 2 years so if they are proving there worth thn youcould myb slip them a wee extra to help keep them motivated and get used t workingon price work,they wouldalo receiv a formal qualification at the end giving them a career

 

[Musivarius]

Thanks for the input. Dave, you've described it perfectly in what I want. Someone to do all the stuff around me while I just focus on laying the mosaic. That would be ideal, at least until I can see if they have any aptitude for the work.
I'll take look into the apprenticeship scheme and see if that wouldn't be too difficult to set up.
I appreciate what you say though David, a bit extra at the end of each job might keep them motivated to stick with it. This wouldn't be a problem at all as with the extra help I could be looking at getting a m2 down in about 2 days, (don't forget my tiles are a little smaller than yours :lol

 

[david campbell]

https://apprenticeships.broadsystem.com/employerenquiryform.aspx

heres a link