Mechanic apprenticeship questions

**babybashjnr** · 26-05-2013 06:50 PM

Hey guys would appreciate some light on my situation

I started my apprenticeship at a Toyota dealership in September 2012

I was 20 at the time but have been in the mechanical scene for about 5 years now, have done complete engine rebuilds, final drive rebuilds, transmission swaps etc.. Thanks to growing up with my dad, most unckles and my grandfather all being amazing mechanics I didn't really have a choice on leaving this trade and my passion for track racing did not help this at all

So now my dealership have me doing final drive rebuilds, changing clutches, transmission rebuilds, diesel injector replacements (recall on some D4D hiaces) and whole bunch of other stuff the technicians should be doing, please note that they don't even give the apprentices on their 3rd and 4th years and some of the techs.

I don't mind doing all this extra work but they not paying me anymore than a 1st year.
Also my mentor has only just done my first assessment with me last week and could not get a wrong answer out of me

I am now in search of a new apprenticeship that is willing to actually have me doing my assessments etc

So my question is if I leave my current apprenticeship with just less than a year under my belt, what happens? Am I able to kick off where I left off? Or do I start the year over?
I currently have all of my units signed off at my tafe (ACE) for my first year and half of my second year but none signed off from my mentor at work
Also are all mechanical apprenticeship competency based as the current one I'm doing is

Thanks to taking the time to read this haha

**_CRX_** · 26-05-2013 06:56 PM

Best thing for you to do is go and talk to someone at tafe...your teacher or the head teacher for the mechanical department.Tell them your concerns and see what there opinion is

**babybashjnr** · 26-05-2013 07:01 PM

Yeah that makes sense

**ceekay101** · 26-05-2013 07:01 PM

If your doing the work you should get paid. Problem is on the books your a first year. Do you have legitimate experience, aka paid on the books as proof. You may be eligible for a trade test which would prove you qualified or if not a quick one year course. But as above best bet would be to speak to tafe regarding the matter as to find out how to prove your qualifications with a peice of paper.

**curtis265** · 26-05-2013 07:13 PM

I'm not too sure how the industry works, but IMO get a letter of reference from your mentor (with respect to your capabilities) and take your experience elsewhere where it will be recognised.

**babybashjnr** · 26-05-2013 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by ceekay101

If your doing the work you should get paid. Problem is on the books your a first year. Do you have legitimate experience, aka paid on the books as proof. You may be eligible for a trade test which would prove you qualified or if not a quick one year course. But as above best bet would be to speak to tafe regarding the matter as to find out how to prove your qualifications with a peice of paper.

Yeah exactly my problem. What do u mean paid on the books as proof? I have been signed off in my tafe section to be a 2nd yr but need to be signed off by my mentor in my dealership to be a full 2nd yr and get the pay rise

**babybashjnr** · 26-05-2013 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by curtis265

I'm not too sure how the industry works, but IMO get a letter of reference from your mentor (with respect to your capabilities) and take your experience elsewhere where it will be recognised.

My mentor at work is a slack ass and has only just assessed me after 8 months and still hasn't signed me off as a first year, which is what is making me want to leave. To add to the circus we have going on he has even told the workshop controller to give me some of the work such as head gaskets, clutches on v6 4wd hiluxes (pain in the ass to do) but he won't put it on paper.

I think they are just going to be trying to hold me back and just sign me off when I have been there for one year exactly so they can be making a lot more money from the jobs I'm doing at $14 an hr as apposed to the $20+ for a tech to do

**raidbaws** · 26-05-2013 08:40 PM

You get paid $14 an hour as a first year apprentice.. :/ First year pay rate is about $7.80 or something AWARD RATE.

You can move to another place but that adds THREE MONTHS to the rest of your apprenticeship and you can get your new work to sign you off for your competencies. Talk to your TAFE teacher to confirm this but I believe this is true.

GL HF!

**babybashjnr** · 26-05-2013 08:48 PM

Yeah I only just started getting 14 an hr from March when I turned 21

which is the award rate

Yeah I plan on having a chat with my tafe teacher as he said he was confident in signing me off on all my units coz I know all the things he is teaching us. But I don't like taking short cuts so I want to do the tafe so I can have the accomplishment of completing it properly.

I think I will be having a chat with the service manager, hopefully I get a call for an interview with another place first so I have some bargaining strength with my wage

**curtis265** · 27-05-2013 10:46 AM

Oh I sorry so your mentor's in the same company? (i.e. he'll have ulterior motives)

hmm...

**stndrd** · 27-05-2013 03:23 PM

I went thru similar situation a few times throughout my apprecnticeship as you.

What will happen when you leave Toyota, your apprenticeship will be paused so to speak until you get employed somewhere else. Now depending on how long it takes the new employer to sign you up as an apprentice (maybe up to 3 months), it will set you back that long before you keep counting down your time.

Dont stress to much about if all your hard work wont count, as it will all roll over (both tafe and workshop time).

Also, you wont be able to go for a trade test as you need to have had 7 years experience working for people before you can sit down and do that test.

If you have anymore questions give me a call (my numbet is in my signature) and we can have a chat

**babybashjnr** · 27-05-2013 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by stndrd

I went thru similar situation a few times throughout my apprecnticeship as you.

What will happen when you leave Toyota, your apprenticeship will be paused so to speak until you get employed somewhere else. Now depending on how long it takes the new employer to sign you up as an apprentice (maybe up to 3 months), it will set you back that long before you keep counting down your time.

Dont stress to much about if all your hard work wont count, as it will all roll over (both tafe and workshop time).

Also, you wont be able to go for a trade test as you need to have had 7 years experience working for people before you can sit down and do that test.

If you have anymore questions give me a call (my numbet is in my signature) and we can have a chat

Thanks bud u just answered everything I wanted to know.
I wasn't sure if I had to have my first year done before I can pause it, but u just cleared everything up for me
Thanks
Much appreciated mate