Overly sensitive employees/apprentices

[OhGoodnessItsSoExhausting]

Ok, so I pride myself on being a strengths focussed supervisor. I always want to mentor and help my employees and apprentices as much as possible. But the last two apprentices (all apprentices in this role are graduates if that's relevant) have been soooooo sensitive and just plain.annoying!

I can't give any feedback because they 'know it already.' I can't say anything right because apparently I know nothing about transgender issues or decolonisation of the workplace and I need to hear them 'educate' me on it all and lend me books because they (20 years younger with zero experience in this role) know how to resolve ingrained, inherent systemic racism and prejudice and clearly if they were in my role they'd have solved all the problems in society which impact the role, already.

They are always 'curious about X...' and 'wondering about y...' instead of just speaking in normal language

They are driving me insane!!!

They can't manage their workload (even though I'm so worried about upsetting them I give them half what I've given to previous apprentices). Apparently it's important to be 'boundaried' and assertive with your needs. (Yes,.I know that, but I'm just asking you to do your job - you are paid more for these apprenticeships than many of the more senior staff in the organisation).

They are so bloody self absorbed and self riteous. I find them so patronising.

Is this entitlement, condescending attitude and use of fluffy language a generation thing? Or (please tell me), I've just had a bad run of two extremely annoying apprentices!!? (who I found out today are friends! So I guess they feed off each other discussing how amazing and riteous they are and how everyone else in the organisation is incompetent.)

Grrr..

Someone earlier said that a graduate on £30k only takes home £400 after tax, ni and student loans, so no wonder they are demotivated. That's not correct at all, after all those deductions (with 5% pension) the take home is around £1800.
More than many people, so no excuse for being lazy.

There is a thread here a couple of days ago saying 'where have all the good graduates gone' basically saying the same thing.

My job is involved with a well-known graduate scheme and they are struggling SO much to recruit graduates. I heard that one big bank gave an electric car to its successful graduates because it was so hard to sign them up - because they all want to dictate their own hours, work from home, don't want to do boring stuff etc.

I think it's a great resignation mindset - "don't want to spend my life being told what to do". I saw it a bit with 20 somethings in my old place too - if I asked them to work later than 5pm I was neglecting their wellbeing....

I expect it is just the two. Hope the third one in September is better. Whilst you should not specify the university, I'd bet it is one that was not called a university before 1992.

Though they have a role model of laziness and entitlement, who is about 55 and has blonde hair.

Depends where you work, doesn't it? Shared office, factory floor, shop, call centre, school, police, NHS in patient-facing role, you can't exactly sit there redialing, then patiently wait for a doctor to call you, or take a call at work.

I have cried over my pets but not in meetings with my boss. If you have to wait for a doctors call, then why not wait at work?

Some might say - bring back some form of obligatory months of military training for 18 - 22 age group - as was the case long ago. I guess the young men who are all required to join the military aged 18 years or over in Ukraine are not 'woke' now, if they ever were. Not that one would wish that on anyone, of course. I understand Israel has compulsory military service for young people. But one has to think also of all the youth that fought and died in WW1 and other wars - sent to their deaths by ''old men'' essentially.

@BitOutOfPractice Withering. Just withering...

YADNBU

I chose to go with an apprentice when I was hiring an assistant after mine left, as aside from the fact it saves money for the company, the job is a really greatjob for people entering the workplace from school, there’s a lot to learn and it ticks a lot of the boxes for their qualification.

after 2 I gave up and went back to recruiting the traditional way. One lasted 3 days, did ok but when I told her that she forgot to enter an address in a client’s record - not a criticism, but it needed to be done - she went to the loo and cried and then left without me knowing. I got an angry call from her mum saying I’d told her off .

the next one sounded like yours, such a know-it-all, I got schooled on veganism and colonialism and told that I have white privilege and wouldn’t know what oppression is like (despite being a woman in a patriarchy). Again, he lasted longer but ended up going home without telling me after being on the receiving end of an arsey call. Arsey calls are crap but they’re also part of life and work and I don’t have time for snowflakes

This really isn't anything new, but perhaps more commonplace now. I was responsible for our trainees where I worked back in the early 90s. I'd say at least half weren't remotely interested in working, even back then, they had "peculiar" ideas about actually having to do things to earn their wage.

I've also had multiple tradesmen clients over the past 20 years or so who've given up on taking on apprentices, for the same reasons, i.e. sweeping up is beneath them, they can't understand why they can't fully re-wire a house in their first week, or they simply don't see the problem when they don't turn up for work and havn't even phoned to say that!

I suspect the general malaise is just spreading through to graduates now, given the crazy aspiration to get 50% of youngsters into Unis! Inevitably, a lot of "unsuitable" students are going to Unis and getting degrees. Especially given that a few decades ago, students really needed to strive and work hard just to get a Uni place and then work even harder to get a degree, so the process would have weeded out the wastrels along the way.

To the OP, it would be interesting to know whether their industry, and the jobs in question are genuinely "degree requirement" jobs, or whether having a degree (any degree) has just become a job requirement for no good reason, other than weeding out applicants.

Whilst you should not specify the university, I'd bet it is one that was not called a university before 1992

What a disgusting comment. Attitudes like that are why companies need to be institution-blind on job applications. By the way, Polytechnics as they used to be called were extremely good at vocational courses- courses where people would very much be workplace ready at the end. Plus the fact people who go to those institutions are far more likely to be from a lower middle class or working class background and likely to have had a part time job from the age of 16.

I did and even so it didn't prepare me for working in a city law firm and all the upper middle class twats they employ from "top" universities.

£1,800 per month is roughly £400 per week!

@Knittedfairies why thank you 😬

Especially given that a few decades ago, students really needed to strive and work hard just to get a Uni place and then work even harder to get a degree, so the process would have weeded out the wastrels along the way

I'm 46 and don't recognise that work ethic among my contemporaries in Gen X. We went out all the time and did last minute revision and handed essays in last minute, and only put in the work when we absolutely had to.

I am a university lecturer and I'd say maybe 10% of students are like this, and the rest are hard working and get on with stuff (with a few who have large personal difficulties and may seem slack because of that, or, in the tiny minority of cases are just plain slackers but 'twas ever thus).
Lecturers roll their eyes at students being "triggered" for ridiculous stuff and wanting everything taught their way. They will want to know about these two.

You mock how she speaks? You say she sounds like an 11 year old?!?

interesting….

I would have a chat with the Uni now, there must be feedback on the scheme and basically say that whilst they are intelligent and able to do the job, their attitude stinks and unless the uni can have a chat with them about appropriate behaviour in the workplace you won’t be offering places going forwards.

"They can't manage their workload (even though I'm so worried about upsetting them I give them half what I've given to previous apprentices).'

Have you pointed out to them that the workload they are struggling with is half what previous apprentices managed? If the university is not preparing them for the workforce, then frankly neither are you.

Would a better idea not be to have the two of them in, inform them that they are failing to maintain an acceptable workload and that they need to buck up their ideas. They need to focus on the work and not on setting the world to rights according to their personal philosophy. It would be the kindest thing to do in the long term.

I genuinely don't understand why you're allowing them to drain you.

How many does the phrase 'embarrassed for you' have? Oh two, just like focussed can sometimes have.

As a PP mentioned, I’m almost 100% sure you’re talking about TCP’s. I haven’t noticed this with mine, but I do think ‘I’m wondering’ and ‘I’m curious about’ are fairly common place phrases in the profession. I know the course is hugely stressful but asking for a smaller caseload/less work seems very unusual given the demands. I think there’s a generational issue maybe, but also sounds like a bit of a personality clash with these two? It might be to do with the training course, or perhaps you’ve just been unlucky. Don’t blame you for wanting a break next term though, it’s a big commitment!

Also I think you absolutely need to feed this back in their placement review and to the uni!

If they're not up to the job then find someone better.

Oh dear, that's really scary. I knew it was bad, but.... wow.

One or two posts picking up on a pp's attempt to correct someone's SPAG - fine. Good to learn that it's considered rude in these contexts.

Twenty or thirty posts all making the same point with various degrees of unpleasantness - begins to look a bit like bullying and showing off.

They stop laughing in the end don't they. I've also seen a lot of posts from teachers in the US talking about how the children are permanently zoned out, can't concentrate, constantly upset and unable to be connected with.

It beggars belief that someone would post to claim that they openly denigrate a colleague for sounding like an 11 year old (never happened, but that’s beside the point) and then end the complaint with ‘double FML’.