well i've finally quit my part time shit servo job and am starting my apprenticeship as an Auto Electrician tomorrow! Wooohooo! nervous but very excited... plus i'm testing out my new computer (it's shit but it was cheap upgrades on it to come). i'm taking bets on how long it takes me to make a battery explode...

Four year apprentiship may sound like a long time, but if you really knuckle down and work hard you can do it in 3 years. Beauty of a trade is it stays with you for life

Even though I don't work as a panel beater anymore, doesn't mean I was one. I will alway be a anel eater. Whoops missed a couple of letters.

the place i'm starting at actually advertised for a person who had done a pre-apprenticeship course (which i'd just finished) so that my apprenticeship is only 3 1/2 years as the TAFE course takes off six months.

Congrats ... maybe you an Kombi Kid can get togeather up the beach and tell each other how shit your boss's are :o

2 words of advice, " pos (+) & neg(-). Know these and you'll be right.

Good luck champ.

better advice, touch that cable....

did you feel anything?... No....

Good then dont touch that other F****R that one will kill you, more related to industrial style stuff tho, still funny imho

congrats on the job tho, i start my apprenticeship in 2 weeks also, best of luck!

i wonder if you can test a car battery the same way as a 9 volt...

Well done. Don't fall for the corny tricks they will play on you as a new apprentice. Otherwise for 3 1/2 years it's your back to the plough, your shoulder to the wheel and your nose to the grindstone.

Congrats Lee,

Now the hard work starts.
Does this mean we get to see you at the club meeting now?
We all miss your smiling face at them.

Kathy & Marc

Well done.

2 things I wish I could do:

1. understand auto electrics better
2. panel beat/weld

You'll be an expert in auto electrics then

Enjoy your apprenticeship years, stick with it and learn as much as you can. With the way our Fed Gov is changing the system TAFE Colleges will be a thing of the past.

Apprenticeships will soon be only 3 years duration and 2 years TAFE!

I'm one of "Pods" Fitter/Machinist/Toolmaker tradies but with an extra 20 years on it!! Certainly helps build/maintain our beloved VWs if you have some trade background whether it's electrical or mechanical.

If some simple machine tools, eg lathe, milling machine, can be obtained over the years you can save a mint on your engines etc by doing most of the work yourself.

Regards from a grumpy old Toolmaker!

PS. Yes I do know about the TAFE system in NSW............ have worked for them for 25 years!!!

well done boozer, a trade in my opinion is the only way to go, I am doing my second apprenticeship first was in cooking and did that job for 12 years and now i am a 4th year aviation engineering apprentice. And always heed the advice of old tradies they may keep talking about the old days but these guys know their shit. Good luck with the apprenticeship. Cheers Damo.

Congrats Boozer,,

Will have some work for you when you've done - bloody dual battery systems!!!

Oh yeah,, watch out for initiations,, will be a SHOCKING experience!! Dont know how things are CURRENTLY, but back in my day apprenteships were pretty scarey.. Anyway I'm sure your AMPED up and ready to CHARGE...

Dave

Well done boozer - you just have to remember to stay POSITIVE, try and RESIST the urge to give up due to average pay. You'll be able to POWER through the next 3 1/2 years at which time you'll have a qualification behind your name, not to mention being SWITCHED on to all things autoelectrical. Just keep your feet on the GROUND and you'll have the trade WIRED in no time.

Quick everyone get an apprentice now while they still know everything!

thanks guys! had a great day today pulling apart and cleaning up 50+ year old aircraft starters to be used as anchor winches on boats. Yeah i have my life back now so i will be at meetings. Hooray! I don't think there'll be much "initiation" shit as this place seems pretty laid back and cool. I'm not worried. piece of piss.:P

did they measure your 'fuse' or test it at the interview??

life back = exboozer ??

all the best.