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Ok, so I am not an apprentice, paid my dues back in 1996 with an awesome mentor. I got out of the tattoo industry for a little over a decade and finally found my way home, So anyway, I recently took on my first apprentice, wasn’t sure that I even wanted to, but the guy was gung ho, at first, and I figured why not it was time for me to expend anyway. So I take him on, now I do not believe in the hazing school of training, as I was told by my mentor, “what the hell am I gonna have you mop the floors for? I think you already know how to use a mop, let’s worry about your tattooing now go to the back and put that machine together!” So I approach my mentoring with the same attitude. Here’s my issue and why I am posting this, this guy has been at it now for 2 weeks. And while he works a full time job, and drives almost an hour and a half to get to the shop, he has now started slacking and making excuses as to why he can’t come in when he says he is coming in, his car broke, he has to babysit, blah blah blah. I’m not making him pay for his apprenticeship, instead drew up a 5 year contract, 2 years as apprentice and 3 years working for me at the shop as an artist. Only now I am seeing a pattern of behavior that is saying to me that I may be wasting my time. My question is, how many chances should I give him when there are plenty of yokes out there that actually want an apprenticeship? If you don’t show up for class at college you fail the class! This is his third “I can’t make it in today” excuse and I have a businesss to run. What do ya’ll think? Let him go or what?
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Well not sure about the US, but here in Canada my professors all said, “I don’t care if you come to class. My lectures aren’t madatory. However, you MUST pass your tests.” In other words, “If you can pass your tests without coming to class, so be it.”
When i did my apprenticeship I was given very many liberties. If i didnt want to come in i just tell my boss im not coming in, and thats that. However, I wasnt working, and I was going into the shop every single day for the entire shop open hours.
I’d say cut him loose, personally. If he is being like this after two weeks, imagine how hes going to be in a year when hes more comfortable?
Just tell him, “When we started this I told you needed you here at such and such a time, on such and such a day. If you arent here you cant learn, you cant grow, you cant evolve as an artist. If you’re skipping work already after two weeks, I dont want to see where you will be in a year. If you keep skipping work your 2 years of apprenticing become 3, or even four! I’m sorry but it just isnt working out.”
Then with future apprentices just be clear: “You need to be here a minimum of three days a week, on time, no excuses, from open until close. Beginning and endings of each months are CRUCIAL. If you can’t make it in to work, just call in ahead of time, and say so. No excuses, just let me know you wont be in. As long as you meet the minimum three days a week criteria then you are fine. You will be an apprentice for two years, and work for me for three. This is a business proposal. If this, at any time, is not working out I reserve the right to terminate this contract.”
and really anything else you think you could add. also, be sure to have them sign something that says they cant tattoo from home. Only fromt he shop, and if you find otu they are tattooing from home their apprenticeship is terminated. :)
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Oh yeah, definately covered the no tattooing anywhere but the shop clause in the contract, doesn’t mean he won’t but it’s in there and up to him to follow or not. But yeah I feel ya. Too bad contracts do not have a stipulation where I can add a mild shock collar! LOL…I’ve decided to give him a final warning, mandate a shop minimum and if he fails the “exams” then it’s time for both of us to move on. Thanks.
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Update and hint at what NOT to do. The apprentice I had, stress HAD, decided that he couldn’t handle a full time job, paying bills and learning to ink, he dropped out. After 2 weeks he finally gets around to texting me and not even a phone call to say tat he can’t afford to bring back the things I let him use as an apprentice. I snap and use a few select curse words and tell him in not so nice terms that I will make arrangements to drive out to get the things from him, he has the audacity to ask me if I am on my period. Long story short, he has forever fucked any chance of him ever stepping foot in my shop again, goes for any people that are friends with him or referrals. Moral of the story young padawans, do not yell back when your mentor is yelling at you for screwing up or the screw up will screw you…
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@Spider wrote:
Update and hint at what NOT to do. The apprentice I had, stress HAD, decided that he couldn’t handle a full time job, paying bills and learning to ink, he dropped out. After 2 weeks he finally gets around to texting me and not even a phone call to say tat he can’t afford to bring back the things I let him use as an apprentice. I snap and use a few select curse words and tell him in not so nice terms that I will make arrangements to drive out to get the things from him, he has the audacity to ask me if I am on my period. Long story short, he has forever fucked any chance of him ever stepping foot in my shop again, goes for any people that are friends with him or referrals. Moral of the story young padawans, do not yell back when your mentor is yelling at you for screwing up or the screw up will screw you…
man that sucks D:
im sorry to hear that
i hope you can get your stuff back! -
I probably won’t get any of the stuff back and just consider it a loss, he didn’t get anything but a handmade lightbox (my cheap one to boot) and some other smaller stuff anyway. I am fully expecting to see his garbage attempts at tattooing popping up soon anyway, I heard he went and got him an ebay kit since he was an apprentice for a whole 2 months and now he knows how to tattoo..bwuahahahahaha….
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ok, so it’s been a minute since I’ve even had time to be on the forum, let alone anything else. While this is coming to the end of off season for us shops, I personally have been very busy with some cool stuff out my way. But regardless, recent events have prompted me to share yet again.
Let me start off by saying to all you who have even thought about chasing down an apprenticeship, I have just (in November) acquired me an very nice lexus es 300 auto that cost me nothing due to a F***tard wanna be apprentice who thought that this industry was all rockstar and party. Sounds unfair……..read on.
I have been in this industry for 11 years now, and while I am not even close to even thinking of considering myself to be even close to top notch I can hold my own in ink.I can honestly say that I DO NOT LIKE APPRENTICES! in the last 2 years I have had 3. all of which i kinda felt a little sorry for, all of which has failed. But I feel that I have a responsibility insofar that our trade is a learned one, we pass on what we know from one to the next to the next and so on, and because of that I have inherited a certain responsibility whether I like it or not.
My last adventure is for you, YES YOU!!!! who bitch and moan about how hard it is to get into this industry and then proceed to F**k off the chance you are given. I had a guy in oct this year (2013) come to me, beg friends we both know, and pester the hell out of me to give him a chance, after 2 NO effin WAY’s a buddy calls me and says “he’s a good guy give him a shot” so I did. I only charged him 2700 usd for 2 years, 1400usd a year. figured if he was serious then that money would be used to get him his starter stuff and set him up. Offered him a 5 year deal, 2 years apprenticing 3 years working exclusively for my shop. Well he didn’t have the cash and so offered me a 1994 Lexus ES300 he was trying to sell for 2000 usd. I was in need of another car and so I agreed. Here’s the skinny, if he failed because of me, my attitude, me making it way too hard, and so on, he was to get the remaining balance of the price of the car minus $100 per month he spent here. IF he failed because of his own stupid A** he gets SH**!…….
After almost 2 months of me and my other 2 artists giving him lessons, teaching him drawing skills, sanitation stuff, day to day tattoo shop operations, he fails! Starts to pull no call no show at the shop, the last straw (to make a long story short) was 4 days no call no show in which my other 2 artist are irate, I finally call him and get nothing. Needless to say he was fired! And he lost his car which is now totally in my name and owned outright. Basically this idiot gave up a Lexus for 2 months of learning. He got the short end….
Now some of you may say this is unfair, but is it. Combined he was in a shop that can boast almost 25 total years experience in the tattoo industry, guys that have portrait experience, old school, 3d realism, fine line art, 2 BA’s 4 AA’s in fine art nd many many hours behind the machines. In a shop that is gaining an ever solid rep as being clean and sterile and friendly. And he just dropped off and started working out of his trailer, again. He was given the chance to grow and learn…..huh.
Bottom line is this, apprenticeships are HARD! Simply put, IF you manage to find a shop to take you, never ever take it for granted or slack off, those 2 years will be the most grueling, hardest, most unrewarding years of your life…….It’s the after that you are after, never ever forget that….Never. This guy forgot, lost a car, lost much respect, and will never ever again be allowed into my shop(s)n or be taught by any of my other artist, bridges burned….Take heed and learn, you have to put forth 500% effort when a shop takes you, or you WILL fail, and if ur lucky it will only cost you some dignity, for some a nice car or large chunk of change. Peace…..Spider
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