I have been in orientation/training since I started my new job. They are teaching us company policies and procedures, their software, products, and the State/Federal laws which govern the industry. (Telecommunications). While a great deal of this is old hat for me as I have been in the telecommunications industry most of my life, there is some company specific information that is very important for the job.
In the beginning there were 22 people in the training class. Now, just over a week later, we are down to 16 and I expect that number to decrease more before the three weeks training is over. It really isn't that hard. Yes, you are expected to show up on time. Yes, you are expected to pay attention, study, and learn the material. But it really isn't that hard.
There are a lot of young people in the class. Many in their early twenties, a couple of them just a year or two out of High School. Many of them are struggling to learn the software and company systems. It isn't hard to figure out why many are having a hard time.
While the instructor is giving us information, the same ones who are having a tough time sit and chat with each other, play around, giggle, laugh, and basically just goof off most of the time. Then, when it's time to actually apply the information at the computer they are totally lost. They ask stupid questions that were just answered a few minutes earlier and screw up on the computers often resulting in a crash, lock up, or some other such disaster.
At first, being the nice guy that I am, I was trying to help these idiots. I would show them what they were supposed to do and how to do it. Some of them, even after a week, still have to be shown AGAIN just how to log into the system. *Sigh* Tonight I decided not to assist these CHILDREN any more. If they want to chat and play, let them. Several asked me for help, but I just told them to ask the instructor because I was busy. I did spend some time helping one lady who was honestly trying but just wasn't quite getting the hang of what we were doing.
They just haven't yet equated attentiveness with the aquisition of knowledge. Perhaps losing a decent paying job opportunity because they were too stupid or childish to sit still and listen for a couple of hours at a time may teach them a lesson.
I had lunch (dinner?) with the trainer tonight and we briefly discussed this very thing. He said he wondered when I would get tired of trying to help these morons. (My word, not his). He doesn't expect half of the people left in the class to make it past the end of the week. There is a test each week of the training. Fail the test, lose the job. Seems simple enough to me. I aced the first test. I was the only one in the class who did.
While the company dress code isn't exactly strict, business casual, I always wear slacks, a nice shirt, polished shoes, and usually a tie. These kids show up in the absolute bare minimum clothing that policy will allow and basically look like crap.
They dress more for a job flipping burgers than for an office environment.
I did have at least some influence on one kid. He seems like he's bright enough, but very immature. He has no concept of proper office decorum and prefers to talk and play instead of work. But, after a few days working with me in class he took it upon himself to start wearing a tie to work. That's something I suppose. Now if he'll just get some decent looking pants and shoes, and learn how to use an iron he just might make some progress in the appearance department. But he may not be there long enough for that if he doesn't stop playing and start paying more attention to work.
I was always taught to take your work seriously regardless of what that work is. Sure, I have fun at work, but not at the expense of my work.
Perhaps, while these kids are flipping burgers at McNasty's they will finally realize that they just didn't get it.