We are hiring

[Tadge]

Guys, thanks for the positive comments however I am surprised at the amount of negative comments here and pulling the job advert apart. There is a job being advertised and a position which someone would enjoy and give them job security which should be a positive thing, not negative.

Cabinet makers and other trades are not being knocked so dont take anything personally. Not everyone wants or can afford hand veneered bespoke furniture for example.

I would ask that only positive constructive comments are posted and that if anyone is interested, they get in touch.

Thanks

 

[Tadge]

Does not give that company a very good image, basically looking for a jack of all and master of none. They do say you need to "Be a quick learner " but not how many people you can give CO poisoning or electrocute in the process of learning.

The real skill required here is the person making the wooden fit outs, and I have only met one person with that skill and he was a shipright but definately not a motor technician or qualified to install gas.

I disagree. Many roles are now multi skilled, gone are the days with factory floors filled with multiple benches of one person doing the same repetitive job. This is not good by any stretch of the imagination. Multi skilled does not mean you are useless at everything, but have skills in many areas which is not a bad thing. There are different levels of these skills I agree which is why people are interview and job trial periods are in place, to verify the skill level, the person’s ability to learn, their attitude and whether they can get on as part of the team.

No one’s going to be poisoned or electrocuted as the applicant will have the relevant skill or will be trained in this area. Don’t forget that technical trades can have competent person schemes where the work is completed by a competent (multi skilled) person but then signed off by the person with the correct certification.

Let’s not go down the route of knocking everyone who has not got a piece of paper to say they can officially cut wood……. I have said earlier that the ability to do the job is sometimes more important than having the certificate (and yes I know that you do need certification for various technical roles…)
Rgds

 

[Spectric]

Multi-skilled is good providing everyone knows their limits and works within there competance, these days people watch a few videos and next they think they can have a go at anything, I have seen far to many bodge jobs over the last fourty plus years with many having the potential to cause injury or destroy property.

If there were no risk of any hazzards occuring then why is the HSE always so busy, there has been many cases of electrocution and CO poisening as the result of sub standard workmanship and yes some of that was done by skilled people cutting corners so there is always some risk.

Yes the days of demarkation are over, I remember them well back in the seventies where every item belonged to a trade that was represented by a union and it was very non productive, just one group could hold up an entire job and tread on the wrong toes would cause a walkout but that was extreme union practices.

The requirements of this company go well beyond multi skilled, just think of the time needed to become an experienced cabinet maker, then add on automotive training and then the rest, but I suppose with standards these days many people accept lower quality. Good example here is woodworking machinery and the like, no comparison to say just twenty years ago.

 

[mark w]

Tage, would you give some idea of the starting wage and what it could rise to please.

 

[porker]

Great opportunity for someone. If I wasn't in a different part of the country and in another life I'd love to have a job like that. (I've done most of the things in the spec having restored a VW camper back in the 80's from scratch and done a lot of work on others for other people).

It's very difficult in todays job market as I see many CVs coming in for roles where the candidate has no fit for the role because it was a couple of clicks away and too easy to apply. I think most job specs try to outline what the ideal candidate would look like and the reality is plusses and minuses in different areas. I work in the technology sector and have seen specs asking for 10 yrs experience in a technology thats only been around for 5!

I don't think the ask is unreasonable and should attract the sort of candidates you need which is its only purpose. I'm guessing it is a small business so you can't employ experts in every field as its not practical and as said earlier multi skilling is the future. Now the contentous bit - I sometimes think for some things the amount of experience actually required can be overplayed (usually by in a particulat trade). One example is being Gas Safe - my brother is Gas Safe for his job working on commercial gas installations. His view is that the training and testing is much simpler than most people think and is a few days and a few hundred quid. He also told me he's never seen anyone fail it. You don't always need 10 years in something to be good enough at it. Plenty of small one man bands produce good quality products so it can obviously be done.

Good luck!

 

[Tadge]

Multi-skilled is good providing everyone knows their limits and works within there competance, these days people watch a few videos and next they think they can have a go at anything, I have seen far to many bodge jobs over the last fourty plus years with many having the potential to cause injury or destroy property.

If there were no risk of any hazzards occuring then why is the HSE always so busy, there has been many cases of electrocution and CO poisening as the result of sub standard workmanship and yes some of that was done by skilled people cutting corners so there is always some risk.

Yes the days of demarkation are over, I remember them well back in the seventies where every item belonged to a trade that was represented by a union and it was very non productive, just one group could hold up an entire job and tread on the wrong toes would cause a walkout but that was extreme union practices.

The requirements of this company go well beyond multi skilled, just think of the time needed to become an experienced cabinet maker, then add on automotive training and then the rest, but I suppose with standards these days many people accept lower quality. Good example here is woodworking machinery and the like, no comparison to say just twenty years ago.

I agree with you regarding youtubers and their perceived skill level but some ae very skilled.

This is my company and I assure you that I won’t be accepting lower standards and cutting corners, hence the requirements of my job description and work trial periods etc.

Yes tools of yesteryear were built to last and solid but as you mention HSE, they were very unsafe beasts in the wrong (or even right) hands, so a change in safety features are for the best. However, I don’t think this thread is regarding HSE and that rabbit hole so I’d rather not discuss that any further.

All the best.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I think some of you are being a bit hard on Tadge. I agree that it can be difficult to find someone that can do everything, but I don't think he's asking for anyone with impossibly varied high level skills, but with enough skills to be able to contribute usefully pretty much straight away, and then fill in the gaps with on-the-job training.

I'm guessing there are other people working there already that can go some way to filling skill gaps. Slainte.

 

[Jameshow]

Another thought I'd ask around boat yards as the fit out of boats is simalar to vans.

Also look at horse box manufacturers which have elements in common.

Finally post on motorhome fun or (I can if you want) to as there are some talented guys in there one in particular converts fiat Ducato vans and is looking for premises ATM, could be beneficial to both of you.

All the best.

James

 

[Tadge]

Another thought I'd ask around boat yards as the fit out of boats is simalar to vans.

Also look at horse box manufacturers which have elements in common.

Finally post on motorhome fun or (I can if you want) to as there are some talented guys in there one in particular converts fiat Ducato vans and is looking for premises ATM, could be beneficial to both of you.

All the best.

James

Hi James one of my best guys was a boat builder. Feel free to share my post. It all helps. Thanks

 

[Tadge]

I think some of you are being a bit hard on Tadge. I agree that it can be difficult to find someone that can do everything, but I don't think he's asking for anyone with impossibly varied high level skills, but with enough skills to be able to contribute usefully pretty much straight away, and then fill in the gaps with on-the-job training.

I'm guessing there are other people working there already that can go some way to filling skill gaps. Slainte.

Thanks. Yes some one who can hit ground running preferably but hard to find. Looking for apprentice also. Cheers

 

[johnnyb]

I mentioned it because my ex business partner worked at minibus World. also a friend spent time wiring these things up he was a auto spark. even when they started out they usually contracted out some of the work until they had there own specialist. it's not that one person couldn't do all the work its just as skills get diluted then speed(and confidence) just goes in a puff of smoke.

 

[Tadge]

Thanks all. Here is an example of a conversion and work we do so feel free to share and we may find the right person.
Thanks

 

[paulrbarnard]

Commute? Lol. Well, yes I realised that, but it’s quite possible somebody might want to relocate to live in beautiful Somerset.

Yeah but Yovil...

 

[Tadge]

Yeah but Yovil...

Fair point. I'm from Newcastle live in Dorset but workshop is Yeovil so I'm ok

 

[Terry - Somerset]

As a DIYer I would be happy to undertake a complete conversion - this may be a triumph of self confidence over ability. But like many on this forum, over the decades I have done most things household and automotive, without any major glitches.

But there is a major difference between DIY where I take responsibility for my own deficiencies, and a business where I have an obligation towards customers and users.

The gas and electrical work may not be very complex (after the first few fit outs?) but has major safety implications. This could be signed off by a professional.

Other work is more about attention to detail and correct use of tools and machines. If the key skill is in wood working this would be the focus for my recruitment effort. New skills can be learned and refined - it is more a question of attitude and aptitude.

 

[Amateur]

As you can tell by the majority of replies...
It is the wrong place to post this, as you said in the first two lines of your post.

 

[Tadge]

As you can tell by the majority of replies...
It is the wrong place to post this, as you said in the first two lines of your post.

I think it is in the right place in retrospect but he wrong attitude by some forum members which is dissapointing. It was in General woodworking section after all, and my convern was if this was the correct section of the forum. Oh well the search continues

 

[doctor Bob]

Love to see more images of the vans, outside as well.
Don't let them get you down, sounds like a great opportunity.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I remember them well back in the seventies where every item belonged to a trade that was represented by a union and it was very non productive, just one group could hold up an entire job and tread on the wrong toes would cause a walkout but that was extreme union practices.

My uncle was skipper of a North Sea rig supply boat in the late seventies. He used to dock in Aberdeen and sometimes waited three days before a docker, a crane driver and a banksman deigned to be there at the same time.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Thanks all. Here is an example of a conversion and work we do so feel free to share and we may find the right person.
Thanks

Just had a look at your website Tadge. It’s almost worth taking up surfing just for the excuse to have one!