Did I blow my chance for a plumbing apprenticeship?

November 10, 2013 8:33 PM

I am applying to be an apprentice plumber with my local union. I missed the orientation due to a family emergency on Friday evening (Nov. 8). I have the application all ready to go and the orientation was the next step in the application process. According to the letter I received, those who did not attend the orientation will not proceed to the next step (an interview this week). I am devastated. How to I proceed?

I'm in Utah. I assume they will be closed tomorrow (Veteran's Day) but I want to rectify this somehow. I was thinking of going in and talking to the program director but I don't know if that is over the top. I know what they say about excuses (friends don't need them, enemies don't believe them). But I really was held up and I did everything else required in the application back in September. I've been waiting all this time for the orientation and now it has slipped through my fingers. Am I just stuck waiting for the next orientation (who knows when that is) or is there another way I can figure this out? Hope me. I wanna be an apprentice plumber!!

posted by rabu to Work & Money (8 answers total)

Go in and talk to the program director - it shows that you realize the severity of the missed orientation.
posted by notsnot at 8:41 PM on November 10, 2013 [5 favorites]

Bring official documentation of the family emergency (no, not a note from your mother...) because the trope of "my grandmother died" is actually pulled out a lot more than you think. If this a one-time, resolved situation all the better, especially if you can prove it independently. Their fear is that they will invest time/money in you and you will pull out last minute because of another family emergency. It is important to show stability and that missing the appointment was a true aberration.
posted by saucysault at 8:47 PM on November 10, 2013 [7 favorites]

Yes- any documentation of the event will help show it was legitimate. Do call, maybe go in, and explain yourself, the sooner the better. And good luck! I was just accepted into a carpentry apprenticeship a couple weeks ago. :)
posted by teslacoilswoah at 9:01 PM on November 10, 2013

You might have to wait for the next orientation, but putting your best foot forward in documenting an actual family emergency can't hurt. If they don't recognize that as a legitimate excuse, you don't want to be dealing with them professionally anyhow. (But as an organized labor guy myself, I would hope that they'll be sympathetic, friendly and wish your family the best.)
posted by pianoboy at 11:01 PM on November 10, 2013

Unless somebody was hospitalized or needing documented medical attention, there really aren't any other reasons that they would give you leeway on this.

Missing the orientation probably didn't merit much more than a raised eyebrow by whoever is running it - I'm sure people flake out on them all the time for various reasons.

Go talk to them, sure, but don't be surprised if the response is "see you next time".
posted by davey_darling at 12:22 AM on November 11, 2013

I think you should go in and talk and have evidence of the legitimacy of the emergency ready at hand, but I think you should drop the "OMG I want this so bad pleasepleaseplease I'm devastated" approach and deal with this practically. You missed an important thing. The legitimacy of your emergency doesn't change the facts that it was important, and you missed it. You shouldn't be pleading for leniency, because this isn't punishment, it's a necessary process. Accordingly, you should acknowledge that this may be a lot to ask, but is there any possible way you could make up for the missed orientation and get back into the candidate pool for the current apprenticeship cycle? Because either there is a way, or there isn't. You won't know unless you ask.
posted by jon1270 at 6:10 AM on November 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

You should ask, but be aware that it's possible they CAN'T help you. The orientation is required, and they have it when they have it. The orientation may actually be required by insurance or other reasons. They can't really waive it for you, and even if they could, they don't want to get into the business of excuse evaluation every time.

Your strategy is to go apologize for missing it in person, express disappointment (in the circumstances, not in them for being so mean,) and show eagerness to make it up at the first possible opportunity. And if there IS a way someone can help you just because you seem like a good kid (relatively) and they can pull some strings, show that you know they are doing you a HUGE, unusual favor.
posted by ctmf at 12:41 PM on November 11, 2013

It's really late in the day for me to post this, but .... don't assume that they are closed today for Veteran's day. In many places the only places closed are banks and govt offices; everyone else is business as usual. If there is still time today (not sure what time zone you are in), you might want to just give them a call now.
posted by CathyG at 1:12 PM on November 11, 2013