I have been an electrical apprentice for the last four years, and in this time I’ve never had my own company car. I’ve always driven the same small, old car and it is honestly a bit embarrassing. I’ve had to fit all my tools in the backseat, which means every time I need a tool that isn’t at the top of the pile, I’ve had to take out every single tool and restack them every single time. It sounds pretty unproductive, doesn’t it? I was shocked that by my second year I hadn’t been given a company car, and now that I’m finally getting one (four years on, I might add), the car is a hunk of junk.

It’s honestly pathetic. I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining, even though I guess I’ve been complaining the entire time, but come on. Why would they give me the manual ute that they’ve had for the last forty years, without even trying to fix it up? The least they could do would be to add one of those new 4×4 aluminium canopies to the ute to make it a bit more usable. But instead I think they’re going to force me to make all the modifications myself, out of my own pocket. And I’ve already missed the annual ute toolbox sales. Melbourne tradies require toolboxes; that’s all there is to it.

I know I sound ungrateful, but for the amount of time, dedication and effort I’ve given my employers, I expected a lot more from them. Surely everyone knows that employee satisfaction is one of the most important things needed for a business to run smoothly. And yet, I’m not satisfied with them in the slightest, which I can already tell is affecting my work. 

I think I’m going to put in a formal request with the HR department to get an upgraded ute. And the ute needs specific modifications. My first request, other than the canopy and a tool box, is going to be fold-out under-tray storage.  I won’t settle for anything less at this point. I’m tired of being taken advantage of.