Hi robbo/jax yeah I wish things were like the old days. Love that reimbursement system for achieving a pass too. Thats a great attitude to have towards training. Pretty rare to have someone willing to reward a staff member for achieving.Staff turnover would be low there!!

Last company I worked at, a fourth year apprentice had slaved away for his boss for 4+ years and finally recieved his plumbing and gasfitting national certificates. He had done mainly drainlaying, unblocking and laying of drains, some plumbing, virtually no gas and did a lot of concrete breaking and digging.He told his boss he was going to sit his exams and his boss turned to him and said ''If I were you, I wouldn't waste your money,you dont know enough.'' The apprentice told me this and we were both angry as we both knew it was the employers fault for not training him and keeping his knowledge level down so he could be exploited for as many years as possible. But guess what...he passed both much to the bosses amazement, yet the boss was quick to announce ''If it wasnt for me he wouldnt have got there.'' I heard him skiting to his builder mates a few weeks later when the conversation came around to his apprentice who had two exam passes. He was quick to take all the credit. I was angry as I knew first hand from the apprentice he had been taught very little and was expected to fail. He even chuckled when he said it. I had only been around for about 14months and tried to encourage him every way I could to help him learn. I think in the end the boss was annoyed he had to increase his wages as he had no choice. One thing since leaving I have noticed is the boss re-licenses himself and an exempt worker of 20+ years as he pays licenses costs for his guys,(the catch is he treats you like trash when he wants,your tools become his tools when he wants, no perk jobs,work long hour weekends on no notice when he says so etc) but I see he has left the newly qualified guy with no current licenses for 2012-2013 as it now costs him(the employer) $470 a year for two licenses for his ex-apprentice where as before he was free for four years a trainee license.

Goes to show how tight some people are with money and down right selfish. Even when its very obvious they have money they dont want to spend what they see as unnecessary expenses.True story.     
Good on the employers/bosses out there who motivate staff and encourage them to succeed in life     If every one was this way I'd be a happy man