Taking On A Student Over The Summer

[shovel leaner 7,648]

I've been contacted by the local ag college about taking on a student over the holidays to give him or her experience of game keeping . What are the pitfalls , if any . What about insurance ? That type of thing . It would be nice to help out , but my experience of youngsters is that by the time you have shown them what to do , it would have been quicker to do it yourself . I'm single handed and as busy as hell . To be honest I could do without it. But I also feel that I should help someone along. What sort of jobs do you give them . I don't want to just get them cleaning drinkers . But I can't see how mum or dad is going to drop them off at 4.30 or 5 in the morning and pick them up at 10.30 or 11 in the evening . I don't do a hell of a lot during the day when the birds are to wood .

[mushroom 12,352]

The college should take care of everything but have a chat with them re the insurance etc

 

Good man helping out the next generation, kudos

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Maybe give them a 6 til 2 shift so they get a taste of early mornings. Get some dirty work lined up like the cleaning etc and drop in a bit of trapping or something of interest later on after they've done a bit of graft. A balance between mundane and interesting. You want them to have a sense of reality about it.

[shovel leaner 7,648]

I agree , it would be easy to break a keen youngster . The trapping idea is good , cause until I trust someone they won't be let loose with a gun .

[danw 1,748]

Bet within a week you regret taking one on I've had 3 f**k me NEVER EVER again can't trust them to do f**k all got to hold there hand for everything so might as well do it myself be done faster and correctly no so bad when you have under keepers you can palm them off onto but singlehanded HELL NO ain't time to think for myself let alone some hanger on

[Josh-Bird8 2]

it's a shame to see that you boys have been let down by lads you have tried to help on their way. I am looking for experience now and would do the cleaning of drinkers and the dirty work as it's not all play! I see that it may take some time for you to teach someone how to do something but if you spend time showing them once they can 90% of the time do it again hassle free. maybe I am a little biased but there you go. I think it is bad that they have let you down like that after you giving them a chance. hope the lad/lass you may get in the summer is some actual help to you.

[shovel leaner 7,648]

Bet within a week you regret taking one on I've had 3 f**k me NEVER EVER again can't trust them to do f**k all got to hold there hand for everything so might as well do it myself be done faster and correctly no so bad when you have under keepers you can palm them off onto but singlehanded HELL NO ain't time to think for myself let alone some hanger on

i thought so , I've talked to a couple of other local keepers and they seem to say the same thing . But everyone has to start somewhere . But I can't help thinking it will end in tears . Edited June 29, 2015 by shovel leaner

[mushroom 12,352]

Vet them first! Tell the college you want 5 candidates and then go meet them

[Lab 10,979]

I've had them on the rearing field too. I used to get 20+ coming up to watch the hatch and walk round the field.....% you could see they were not interested.....id quite happily just tell them to f**k off.

Anyway I stopped that but I would take a couple of lads and they would help out wit basic stuff.

One thing I will say is do not give them a job and leave them too it. Guaranteed to mess it up!!

 

Oh the other hand I know a few lads that have went through the process and have landed good jobs out of it. It pays to stick in

[bullmastiff 610]

My mates boy is doing it.

basically they just had him along and carried on their day as normal and just had someone to chat too whilst the keeper worked.

within a few days he had him doing some of the simpler stuff, cleaning drinkers, carrying grain sacks etc.

After a few weeks he was pulling his weight and really helping out. He has evn been offered a part time job during holidays etc.

Just because a few people have had a bad experience, don't paint them all with the same brush.

[danw 1,748]

only lads I would even consider now are from keeping family's I gaurentee there will be kids on that course haven't beat a day let alone out else and they want a job keepering lol makes me laugh some of the muppets colleges take in these courses ask any lad from sparsholt how many in there class made keepers and the usual answer is about three fact is they weren't no good for f**k all else so stick them on a keepering course to make up the numbers.

[AdanClinton 2]

I think the insurance is needed in case accident .Be careful and have a good time .

[Dan Newcombe 58]

Good thing to try and do but do be aware that there are many, many pitfalls that are waiting to trip you up.

 

Think about the tasks that they will be able to do without having the tickets (quad etc), think about how many hours and when they would be working, make sure that you won't be doing anything that could be less than compliant with 'best practice' that they might report.

 

Although the college will be very keen to help you if they are getting a placement out of it they will no doubt take very much a back seat if something goes wrong, it is unfortunately a common problem these days …… there si always someone to blame and it is never the person that has the accident!

 

Think careful but as you suggest, everyone needs to start somewhere!

[fireman 10,774]

Also remember most are still young who can feel out their depth's and feel a work load if you graft them to hard,i've just spent the day with a new apprentice keeper keeping the young lad company and helping him jet wash partridge pens,feed and water the birds as the gaffers were away at the Norfolk show today and it'd been a heavy load to lump on such young shoulders if he'd been left on his own ..

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

Good attitude Fireman..

Edited July 3, 2015 by Phil Lloyd