Have a dilemma - letting a kid work at the shop

[andk5591]

Here's the deal - my shop is primarily a one man show. I have 2 techs that work part time as sub-contractors, but most of the time it's just me. That may change over time, but for at least a year, that's how it is and I like working alone...No schedule, no rush, I come and go as I please and do what I want when I want.

A 14 year old kid found me from a "for sale" ad that I had placed for a couple VWs I was selling. The kid is working on an early super with either his Dad or Stepdad and would like to work at the shop over the summer. Since he has very little in the way of skills, he is not much use to me except for some grunt work, but I am sure he is looking at it as a learning opportunity.

Agonizing over this...Don't know about you, but I always loved hanging around shops when I was young. But since he would need to ride over with his Dad, he is stuck there all day and I don't want to be.

What I am pondering is maybe letting him come over 1 day a week if I have something interesting going on. I do have to double check with my insurance agent on this to make sure he would be covered. I dunno...thoughts?
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D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[rcroane]

Think about when you were 14. If his parents are ok with it, I'd give the kid a shot.
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'65 Sunroof Bug

[J Flare]

[gt1953]

May be worth a chance. Younger people do not know how to wrench at all.
Some one may have to keep these cars going in the future.
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Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.

72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold})

[skills@eurocarsplus]

I may let him sit in on an engine build, or parting out a car....to have him camped out on your shoes while you work will get old.....I had a coworker at the dealer who could not talk from his bay....he was right there every time I turned around. only way to get rid of him was a healthy fart

I started pumping gas at a 3 bay shop when I was 14. if I wasn't pumping gas, I was cleaning the bays, or doing tire work. to this day, I still hate doing tires....

that said, it may be best to have him around for a engine build/part out session. that way he isn't in your way at all. if you aren't not paying him, I don't think insurance will be an issue.

check with his school....we had a work program that allowed us to get paid, but the school took care of the insurance. when we were in shop class, if we had a 'job' we could report right to work. my boss would fill out a weekly 'progress report' took like 2 seconds to fill out.

again, I would do something where he could not get into to much trouble. be careful....if you feed the strays, he may want to be there all the time too....

if you do it, put a time limit on it....say 2 hours to start, or a morning if you are tearing a car down. that way, you can still plan your day and not be a babysitter
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[bigfatloser]

I wish more young people would show this kids initiative. I'd give him a chance just based on that.
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DMZFAB.COM

[hitest]

I grew up in a suburban neighborhood, but my best friend grew up directly behind a major shopping center/business district. When he walked in to TuneTech at 14 and they let him come in on Saturdays and sweep/assist a little with oil changes, etc.- he was THE MAN! I was so jealous of him that summer. He had a jump start over me on a regular "job" and the work ethics it helped establish.

He didn't go in to mechanics but he learned a lot. He was responsible and learned the importance of dependability. If you can possibly swing this- I sure hope you can.

Let the local labor laws determine the length of his work day. I also do not know what type of compensation is required in PA but I bet it's rather low for a 14yo. Good luck for both of you!
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[Cusser]

I come from a family where my dad didn't even know how to open the hood, never understood "maintenance". Of course his vehicles were junk after 2 years. My brothers and sister never expressed any interest in fixing ANYTHING, so if anything needed a look-see, it was always The Cuss.

At least this got me my first drill, hacksaw, soldering iron with green stamps from grocery store (remember those?).

Anyway, when I was in my late teens, I got a job as a "mechanic's helper" for a guy whose business was rebuilding and installing VW engines from a newspaper ad (remember those?). Likely I was smart enough, and had a VW, I was the only employee, made $50 a week.

Well, turned out to be the best job of my life, I learned a ton. Second day I pulled a VW engine using his verbal instructions. I bought metric combination wrenches - lifetime from JC Penney - still have them to this day, my main set. Without this opportunity I likely would not have had the confidence or reason to fix VWs, other vehicles, even things around the house like ceiling fans, water heater, etc.

So I say give him a chance !!! Make kid and dad understand that this is on a try out/experimental basis, and if it doesn't work out you all say thanks and shake hands.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[andk5591]

Yeah - I am leaning toward doing it. I already spend about 1/4 of my day helping folks over the phone anyway LOL.... And yeah - paying forward is something that I do a lot anyway.....That's how I learned a lot of stuff......
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[G-wood Todd]

I learned all about wrenching from the old timers who took the time to teach me. Now that I'm an old timer, I have always took the time to teach those who GENUINELY want to learn. Set the expectation with him that he must be willing to learn and get his hands dirty. It can be challenging to find positive role models today and taking the time with this young man may be a great opportunity to be a positive influence on him.
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and take the kids for instance "Are we going in the Volkswagen bus?" and they say "Yay!" and clap their hands and if it's a glorious day you can slide the sunroof back and let a little of the glory in and all of a sudden, it stops looking funny.

-Volkswagen ad

[nsracing]

[Malokin Martin]

In this day and age... nope.

The second a cylinder head falls off the table crushes his little foot your life becomes infinitely more complicated. People with lawyers have ruined what 'was' for everyone. You may decide to go for it, but don't kid yourself about the very real risk you're running. Liability insurance doesn't protect you like you think it does. Parental consent doesn't protect you like you think it does. Neither of those things prevent a lawsuit, negligence and higher premiums.

They may even fancy themselves "good people", but when the cards are on the table, YOU will be left holding the bag. You think this guys parents won't flip on you the second something goes wrong? Even if nothing goes wrong, I wouldn't even BE ALONE with a minor (male of female) in a professional setting at my work.

They can take everything from you. Is that worth teaching some kid to turn wrenches? Ultimately you have to decide.

[calvinater]

Sounding rather cynical. Is E-burg in vermont?
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"Albatross"!

[60ragtop]

go with your gut feeling. How far does he live from your shop?
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Rick
Certified Mechanic by the State of Michigan in 1977
ASA certified in 1987
Certified Hunter Wheel Alignment Master Technician 1986

[Malokin Martin]

Haha nah. I've just had a small routine issue with a customer that ballooned into a big thing and it really changed my perspective on how life is as opposed to how we want it to be. Best intentions to help someone out and all that.

1/20 people have ruined it for everyone

[Jon Schmid]

You'll find out soon enough if this kid is serious about the job, especially the shittier aspects. If all goes well you could end up training and nurturing a gem for the next generation. Good luck--go for it!!

[Brian]

Always a need for someone to do some cleaning Sweep the shop and organize the tools, then slowly move into washing the bathroom. If he has moxy, then take it from there.
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Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

[andk5591]

[busdaddy]

Been there, done that, sounds very familiar.

As much as I hate having someone follow me around while I try to work the "pay it forward" thing definitely applys, I too was that PITA kid once.
Skillz' idea about a couple hours a day makes sense, he gets a taste and there's still a few hours left for you to recover if needed.
Sweeping, bolt sorting, sand blasting, parts washing, sanding/scraping, there's plenty of things to keep him busy without constant babysitting that benefit you later, he may suck at some tasks but excel in others, or he may just run away crying after the first day, some have it, others don't.

Another make work project could be to go through your stash and sort, clean, label, bag and inventory, then you know what you have, you could even have him photograph each item for Ebay or something. Great when you need to find something, handy when heading for a swap too, and if something horrible ever happens to you your next of kin can easily identify the pile of crap you've left them.

Everyone has to start somewhere, if he's got it figured out that you can't suddenly become a pro by watching a video on Youtube and is prepared to actually get his hands dirty give it a try, worst case he runs away and rethinks his careeer chioces, or maybe he's got the drive and can be useful with a little guidance. Modern youth can't possibly all be useless in a shop.
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[TDCTDI]

I started in a apprenticing in a shop owned by a Porsche & VW factory trained Hitler's youth. I initially worked for him in return for helping to get my 1972 highroof running again. I swept floors, moved parts, pushed cars & did all of the shit work that would have kept them from making money (The worst thing they made me do was to go with the tow guy to the car wash to hose out the engine bay of a diesel rabbit that sat on the side of the road for a week, in the summer, after hitting a skunk).

I got to leave school early as a work release & made money to live off of as I lived on my own at an early age. I loved that job.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


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