The health and Safety exam was the next hurdle before the finish line. This was ok due to the fact that the questions were easy, for instance, there was a picture of a Fire exit sign and we were asked what the sign meant. When we were asked to call our employer this seemed fairly daunting for many other pupils, as they have never had to experience talking to and employer before, but in my case I’ve already had connections with many different employers so it didn’t bother me.
We were asked to ring our employer over half term to arrange an interview prior to our Work Experience to give us an idea of what we’ll be doing, what it will be like and who’ll be there. Unfortunately I arranged my interview during half-term, which more than likely pleased Ms Fraser and the rest of the Careers Staff as all my paperwork was sorted out. The majority of other students arranged there interviews during school time, I did not know that this could have been done or I think I would of come up with the same idea.
My interview went well and I returned all my forms back to school so that I could go on my placement. The week prior to my Work Experience was I was really happy and excited solely on the basis that I was going to have tow weeks off school.
On the 9th June I got up at about 7.30 am and did my paper round. I remember it being lovely weather that morning and being able to go out in a T-Shirt. Shame about today (1st July). I arrived at Fable (my Placement) at 9.45 am. I was greeted by about 4 middle aged chained smoking women with deep voices. I joined the group so I didn’t feel like and outsider. I sat and listened to everyone else’s conversations. Then unexpectedly a young lady named Mary spoke to me. She had a sort of harming manner to her. She introduced herself and told me what she did. Mary was the only one to introduce herself. I didn’t really see her much in my two weeks, it was a shame I wasn’t working with her. It’s not the fact I liked her in a sexual manner, it’s the fact that she was friendly and welcoming.
My first day started at 10.00 a.m. I started working in the Kitchen alongside two chefs. Well I say chefs there were merely two 16 and 17 year olds who knew how to make toast. After getting changed into my whites and descending the Staff stairs was preparing myself for the long and boring Safety briefing. It never came, in all two weeks not once was I told any safety precautions or fire safety. If the place was to burn I wouldn’t know where the Fire Exit was, I’d probably end up waling into one of those walk-in freezers. The head chef, Callum, really did annoy me and get on my nerves. Callum was the kind of young cocky teenage guy who thought he knew everything because his mother (Sandra Howard, Founder of Fable) had given him the title Head Chef.
My first experience of catering was how to grate a carrot. Not very challenging to a person who new how to grate carrots but to people who don’t it is quite difficult with out any instruction. At about 11 o’ clock I felt I had been there for about 4 hours. We adjourned to the Staff Room (A small poky room with two chairs and 7 ashtrays) as were not busy. I thought this would only be like for about ten minutes but about and hour and a half passed before we got a call saying we had an order. Callum asked the voice on the other end of the line what the order was, she mumbled a few words and he hung up.
All three of us went back down stairs. I know women think men find a lot of tasks quite difficult but God knows what the waitresses thought when three lads walked down stairs to make three slices of toast! After getting a complaint that the toast was cold once we had served it I was amused due to the fact that our “head Chef” couldn’t even cook toast.
It came to about 2 O’clock on the first day and it was empty so we all sat around and just chatted. Waiting for ten minutes with nothing to was just like watching paint dry but for two hours it was total hell. Today was the day of the Bus Strike so I used it to my advantage asking to leave at 3.30 so I could get home on a school bus running from Birkdale. They said this was fine and I left. I had missed the bus so I had to get a 272 to Castleton and get off on Ecclesall Road. I walked back home from there. I quite enjoyed the walk as it got me out in the fresh air after being stuck in a smoky café all day.
I got home about 5.30 then had to get changed and go do my paper round. I waked round with m dad discussing the day I had. I came to the conclusion I didn’t enjoy my day at all and that I couldn’t bear the next two weeks.
The rest of the week went on the same, well all except for the buses. The bus strike finished on the Thursday so I could get home easily on the Friday. I didn’t work Mondays on my placement instead I had to work Saturdays. I was not happy about having to work Saturdays. To be honest I wouldn’t minded if there was a purpose for me going in on Saturday. When I turned up on Saturday I was expecting it to be busier. I made the wrong presumption again. We were empty…. again.
I got to leave at 2.00 on Saturday as I had my drum lesson and I was not prepared to miss it. During Saturday the Health Inspectors came and we were very close to being closed down. What a shame! After my drum lesson I went home and sat down and thought about my first week of Work Experience. I didn’t enjoy it and decided that I would stick it out for another week.
During my second week I had the opportunity to greet and serve customers. This was quite nice as I got to meet people. Well I would of done if more people came in. My first day working as a waiter consisted of wrapping cutlery and cleaning tables. That made me think, people actually do this for a living. Once again it came to 2 o’clock and we were empty so another prolonged two hour wait. Sitting, sitting, sitting. I thought to myself, “This is not where I want to be. I want to be out, I want to be experiencing, living, running, jumping, eating, womanising, playing, screaming, laughing, anything.”
The rest of the week continued the same except for the Wednesday where I got the privilege of cleaning the coffee machine, which was literally jammed together with melted coffee. Not happy at this point!
Well I stuck it out until Friday then I’d had enough. The final straw came when I was made to go and clean up rubbish that the bin men had dropped off the back of the lorry. Then I came up with a cunning idea. Portugal!
I decided to make up a story that I was going to Portugal for the weekend so I would have to leave work on Friday at 12.00 p.m. and I would also not b able to make Saturday. I approached my supervisor and told her the situation. She smiled and said that it was ok and told me to have a good time. My plan worked. I felt a bit guilty but I think it was understandable as I was treated poorly.
Well at the end of the week I was so glad I had finished. On my last day I must admit I decided to rebel a bit but nothing major. I had a laugh. So 12 o’clock came and I left. I was so happy with myself that I had put up with it. I went home and chilled out. I reflected on my week.
In the end I decided that I didn’t want to be tied down in a job like this that has no real career opportunities. I went back the Tuesday afterwards to get my Work Experience paperwork signed and they offered me a Saturday job. I obliged.
After working my first Saturday there. I decided it isn’t half as bad as I thought. Then I realised I was getting paid this time. Now the paint has dried and the grass has grown it is time to re-decorate and cut the grass. In other words now I have decided what I’m going to do with life I am going to sort myself out and do it!
