BradNaylor
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- 17 Oct 2007
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We often hear on here from people wanting to know how to go about getting a job in woodworking, so I thought I'd share this tale as a bit of inspiration.
As many of you will know, I share a workshop with another cabinetmaker from where we each run our separate businesses. This arrangement enables both of us to enjoy the benefits of a fully equipped workshop but at half the cost of each having our own place.
We regularly receive letters and emails from young guys looking for a job. Generally we ignore them - as do most people. Neither of us has had any wish to complicate life by becoming an employer or bringing anyone else into our cosy little arrangement.
Until Joe turned up.
Joe roared up on his motorbike one morning and strode into the workshop. 'Hi' he said, 'I'm Joe'.
It turned out that Joe had recently completed a course in cabinetmaking at the local college and was working as a manager of a trendy bar in Chorlton (the Mancunian equivalent of Notting Hill). He had financed his way through college in this way, too. He explained that he was quite happy with his bar job but that what he really wanted was to work in a cabinetmaking workshop. Could we give him a day's work each week so that he could prove himself? For no wages?
We both liked the cut of his jib and so we agreed. After his first day it was clear that we'd found a gudden and so as he was climbing on his bike to go home Phil shoved £70 into his hand.
To cut a long story short Joe has now given notice at the bar and is joining us full-time on a self-employed basis. If he fulfils his early potential he will become an equal partner in the workshop within a year or so - providing he can start to bring in his own work and can raise the buy-in fee.
So in the space of 2 months, Joe has carved a career for himself with us simply by making himself first useful, and then indispensable. It has meant that we have been able to take on work that we would otherwise have had to turn down, and has led to Phil and I leaving our comfort zones and increasing our own productivity to keep up with an eager 25 year-old!
Phil and I have now taken to referring to young Joe as 'The Pension'. :lol:
I'm sure that if a pair of tight-ar5ed old pippers like Phil and me can come round to the benefits of adding a little youth to our crew then the same is true of hundreds of similar old pippers all over the country. They just don't know it yet, though.
So if you are a young guy wanting to make woodwork your career take a leaf out of Joe's book...
...and get on your bike!
Cheers
Brad
As many of you will know, I share a workshop with another cabinetmaker from where we each run our separate businesses. This arrangement enables both of us to enjoy the benefits of a fully equipped workshop but at half the cost of each having our own place.
We regularly receive letters and emails from young guys looking for a job. Generally we ignore them - as do most people. Neither of us has had any wish to complicate life by becoming an employer or bringing anyone else into our cosy little arrangement.
Until Joe turned up.
Joe roared up on his motorbike one morning and strode into the workshop. 'Hi' he said, 'I'm Joe'.
It turned out that Joe had recently completed a course in cabinetmaking at the local college and was working as a manager of a trendy bar in Chorlton (the Mancunian equivalent of Notting Hill). He had financed his way through college in this way, too. He explained that he was quite happy with his bar job but that what he really wanted was to work in a cabinetmaking workshop. Could we give him a day's work each week so that he could prove himself? For no wages?
We both liked the cut of his jib and so we agreed. After his first day it was clear that we'd found a gudden and so as he was climbing on his bike to go home Phil shoved £70 into his hand.
To cut a long story short Joe has now given notice at the bar and is joining us full-time on a self-employed basis. If he fulfils his early potential he will become an equal partner in the workshop within a year or so - providing he can start to bring in his own work and can raise the buy-in fee.
So in the space of 2 months, Joe has carved a career for himself with us simply by making himself first useful, and then indispensable. It has meant that we have been able to take on work that we would otherwise have had to turn down, and has led to Phil and I leaving our comfort zones and increasing our own productivity to keep up with an eager 25 year-old!
Phil and I have now taken to referring to young Joe as 'The Pension'. :lol:
I'm sure that if a pair of tight-ar5ed old pippers like Phil and me can come round to the benefits of adding a little youth to our crew then the same is true of hundreds of similar old pippers all over the country. They just don't know it yet, though.
So if you are a young guy wanting to make woodwork your career take a leaf out of Joe's book...
...and get on your bike!
Cheers
Brad
