Apprentice possible??

[Lance Lafargue]

Dear Steve, Kent, Clarence, Dave, David, et al;
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for responding.  I didn't want to drag out
my initial post with boring details, but I will now.  This candidate for
apprentice has been working with another technician here for TWO YEARS.  I
think that he has basically been used for his labor on boring and difficult
work and has not been properly trained- either in proper methods, setting
goals and accomplishing those goals, or in attaining RPT status.  He's not
even been told to join the guild, go to meetings, or buy books, AND was
told that his teacher was the only tech in the area..... Remember, this guy
is very young(20?) and naive.  I plan to schedule lecture, question/answer,
and hands on time together, send action models home with him, work toward
certification and rebuilding knowledge goals together, etc.  
HE DOES KNOW HOW TO DO SEVERAL THINGS, mostly because he did some reading
(he wasn't helped much), and I remember hearing that this kid was very good
with tools and working with his hands(through other chapter members). He
appears to be a perfectionist but just hasn't been told how to do it
right(he regulates an action consistently wrong).  He plays piano and seems
to have an ear.  He certainly is serious and will become a tech if I help
him or not.  
I THOUGHT that if I compensated him some I could keep both of us happier
and keep him with me longer, getting more work out the door and I would be
more free to spend time on doing mailings, advertising, etc., etc.,
expanding my business locally. 
Lastly, if I do not pay him as you have all suggested, I just thought I
could buy his tools(he has some), books, send him to the convention, etc.,
and we could both benefit.  I will show these posts to him and his parents
along with the information I have on the requirements that the government
has, etc.   Thanks again for responding, I want to do the "right" thing and
would appreciate any other thoughts/experiences.
QUESTION::::  If I don't pay him(workers comp, etc.), how do I protect
myself if he gets hurt in my shop???
THANKS>>>>>
Lance Lafargue, RPT
New Orleans Chapter
Covington, LA.
lafargue@iamerica.net

----------
> From: S. Brady <sbrady@u.washington.edu>
> To: Pianotech Listserve <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Subject: Re: Apprentice possible??
> Date: Friday, October 10, 1997 2:41 PM
> 
> 
> Lance,
> 	You mean you're going to pay *him* for the privilege of teaching
> him? This seems completely backwards to me. For some 15 years now, I've
> had people pay *me* for teaching them this profession. They buy their own
> tools, they pay me approximately $5,000 in tuition, and they render a lot
> of free labor in the process. Why on earth would you want to give it
away,
> or worse yet, pay someone to learn from you?
> 	Just curious.
> Steve
> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, 10 Oct 1997, Lance Lafargue wrote:
> 
> > What I am asking is; is there a way to let him learn from me and buy
him
> > tools in payment, or teach him here and let him establish himself as an
> > independent tech in the eyes of the IRS, too????  I want to stay above
the
> > table on this, but I'm not willing to take on headaches and jump
through
> > dozens of hoops for our beloved big brothers in the IRS so some young
kid
> > can learn a trade and leave.  I know that this dilemma is not a new one
to
> > many of you.  My business is small and simple and I'd like to keep it
as
> > close to that as possible.  Thanks in advance!!!!!!!
> > Lance Lafargue, RPT
> > New Orleans Chapter
> > Covington, LA.
> > lafargue@iamerica.net
> > 
> 
> Steve Brady, RPT		 
> University of Washington
> Seattle, WA		 	  
> 		  
> 				 
> 			
>