5000 jobs in 50 days: Culture shock one of the chief challenges for freshly employed

GETTING up early, concentrating for eight straight hours, and socialising with adults might all seem obvious. But it can be a culture shock for first-time workers.

Toolcraft trade assistant Brandon Lahne at the company's Holden Hill factory, was surprised at how tiring his job would be. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

GETTING up early, concentrating for eight straight hours, and socialising with adults might all seem like obvious aspects of having a job but can be a culture shock for first-time workers.

After schooling where there are two lunch breaks and days knock off at 3pm, the world of work has very different expectations.

Workskil Australia chief executive Nicole Dwyer said some first-time workers were surprised by the need for professional etiquette and daunted by working the long hours of a standard business day.

“Once they are in work, adjusting to the workplace culture can sometimes have young people taken aback,” she said.

“They might not have experience interacting with people of different ages and backgrounds and this can force them back into their shell.”

Kristine Skippington, chief executive of vocational training organisation Blue Dog Training said for trades in particular there was an expectation that workers be social but apprentices sometimes struggled.

“You are joining the organisation to be part of the team,” she said.

“It’s not about being wildly social but engaging with people when the opportunity is there rather than being on the phone.

“One apprentice told me when he started his trade he was incredibly shy because he wasn’t used to interacting with adults but he learnt really quickly he had to talk and ask questions otherwise he could make big mistakes.”

Skippington said another common shock for first-time workers was the workplace pecking order, which existed in both trades and office jobs.

“There is a certain respect paid to people because of their skills, which some young people don’t get initially,” she said.

“You are the new kid on the block so you might get the difficult jobs or lunch-buying jobs or those types of things.”

Brandon Lahne, 19, started his first job as a trade assistant at precision engineering firm Toolcraft four and a half weeks ago.

He said after school and TAFE, the long work days were a shock to the body.

Having to wake up at 5.30am every morning was also new.

“For the first few weeks, by the end of the day I was really tired but you seem to adapt to it,” he said.

“I still go home tired but it’s not as bad as it was.”

He advised other first-time workers be prepared and open-minded.

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Originally published as 5000 jobs in 50 days: Culture shock one of the chief challenges for freshly employed