Thought for Today

[T1 Terry]

Thanks kinda funny you say that Terry. The guy that I'm doing a bit of switchboard building for, said to me the other week, I like getting you old guys in, cos you can make stuff.'
I think that was a compliment.
I assumed that he meant that most of the younger guys only know how to bolt stuff together. And he's kinda hoping that us old guys can teach them. But some young guys already know everything, and you ust can't tell them.

That would suggest you still believe there are some young one in the trade that are willing to go the extra mile to learn something, rather that mastering the art of work avoidance and shifting the blame moving from theoretical to practical on the job experience ......

I know there is a big move to employing mature aged apprentices that have a previous trade or some form of training behind them ..... it shows they are willing to learn, start at the bottom and learn all they can in the short time they have to learn it. In the automotive game, the clever ones know that is where the big $$ will be in the very near future, actually making and repairing parts, simply because there won't be new parts available ......

T1 Terry

[T1 Terry]

It's much the same in the butcher industry, they don't know how to brake down a beast... they get their training in Wollies or Cole's it and all comes in box's.
My mate normally only hired older cutter's. Those that were taught properly.
Bernie.

The ex son in law was taught by his father in there Bega butchery shop, he didn't do a trade ..... he was astounded when suddenly offers were coming in from all around for him to work for them to train their butchers ..... Coles finally out bid everyone and he has the job of going from store to store and doing training to improve the meat cuts, identifying which cuts will produce the best quality yet still make good money per beast, and how to grade and reject beasts on a best added value basis.

Management had realised, the money wasn't in just selling meat, it was in value added and customer satisfaction that brought them back rather than pushing them to the established butcher and paying the big $$

T1 Terry

[T1 Terry]

I was just thinking about that even further, back when I was industrial fitting, I was the highest paid hydraulic fitter at the crane mob, even though I didn't actually have a hydraulic fitters paperwork, but when I produced all my other paperwork, I sent a wave of awe combined with fear through the ranks ..... all the way up to the design engineers

When I fully assembled the hydraulic pack from a basic frame to a full working unit, fully hydraulic system including improved cooler circuit design to avoid boiling the oil when self erecting the tower, complete with notes on the alterations to the hydraulics schematics, then it tested to show the first assembly that worked without further tuning ...... all in 6 weeks, I ended up with everyone's admiration, pats on the back (to find the best spots to put the knife) and virtually out the door within the next two weeks

Basic lesson learnt, no one likes you to create ripples .... absolutely no one, from the head man who only answered to the Malaysian owners, he had risen from the workshop floor to that position and felt threatened, down to the apprentices who felt I was messing up a cosy bludge over the next 4 yrs for them .....

The body had already said there was no future attempting to do that full time, even 3 mths on, 3 mths off So my early retirement on medical grounds was established ...

T1 Terry

[supersparky]

Terry, there is always at least one, that feels threatened with the knowledge that "this guy" actually knows what he's doing, and isn't afraid to work for a change. I think it just depends on, if the boss has his own eyes on the shop floor or if he relies on reports.
All the good bosses that I've ever had would be on the shop floor, wandering around, looking, seeing, hearing what's going on, on a day to day basis.
At least that's how I've found it.

[Shirley]

Bernie you are correct 100% with the way Coles & Woollies meat is butchered & packed, definitely unskilled employees, very little meat locally is butchered & packed in-store it all arrives from the warehouse pre packaged.
There are so many cuts of meat that are seldom available, veal steak, skirt steak, lamb fillets & good quality sausages, our old butcher corned his own meat, it was always tasty, another bygone story

[supersparky]

You just can't beat the good old local butcher. Yes, the meat costs more. But I believe it is worth it.
On a slightly different note, there seems to be an increase in the super butcher type of places, around here anyway. Has anyone else noticed that?

[T1 Terry]

Maybe it's just the bigger city stores competing with each other, Aldi and the local butcher.
Back in the Illawarra, each Coles and Woolies had their own butcher section that you could ask for a special cut of meat there on the spot ..... one even showed me how to make our own mini drumsticks from chicken wings to save money, great for finger food with drinks at a social occasion .....
Our local IGA has their own butcher dept, and Mannum isn't actually a mega city
The local butcher has changed hands multiple times, Now a part of MT Pleasant Small Goods.
It's now used as a processing and packaging facility for the Foodland supermarket across the road across the road and meat tray supplier for the club and pub raffles, open one or two days a week for customers .....

T1 Terry

[Shirley]

David, we have several quality meats available online, order a package & it’s delivered to your door, a couple in the Hunter Valley even slaughter their own beef & lamb, more expensive than the supermarkets.

[supersparky]

Shirley, I don't know how I'd go ordering meat online. I prefer to actually see what I'm getting first.
There are two local butchers here, both have the own local sources, plus all the usual suppliers.
We very rarely buy meat from the supermarkets. None of the major ones have there own on-site butchery now, its all pre-packaged. Some of the Aldi JBS meats are pretty good though.

[Shirley]

David it is the same locally, all supermarkets have pre packaged meat, I have a friend who buys online from Mudgee, she recommends their meat, I haven’t bought online myself apprehensive to try it.