Boss forcing to teach a Junior 5

[93albano]

Dear all

My manager is "forcing me" to teach a Junior engineer. I was hired as a Senior Engineer and after joining the company the manager told me I am only here to support the junior engineer. Is this right?

Thanks for your feedback

 

[jayrod12]

I think you should look back on your own life as a junior engineer. Did you have someone help show you the ropes? Someone that you could take questions to even if it wasn't their project?

And even if the answer to that part is no, wouldn't your early career have been better if you did?

I know that I was fortunate to have many great engineers help guide me along and help me when I needed it. I am now proud to do the same for the junior guys in the office. In fact, helping the junior guys might be my favourite part of my job.

So in short, I would say no it's not mandatory to do that. Whether it's right or not depends on your definition of right, and your own moral compass.

 

[dik]

I've worked with several junior engineers over the years and have provided them with some form of guidance at times. It was never a 'job requirement', but I enjoyed it. It was not a matter of 'teaching' them, but I would review some of their work and make comments about it, or discuss an approach to handle an upcoming project.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[IRstuff]

What did they tell you about your job during your interview?

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[TigerGuy]

What do you mean they are "forcing" you to teach the younger engineers?

I have always felt that one of my responsibilities is to teach those less experienced team members and help them find their path in their chosen field. To me, nothing is as rewarding as seeing somebody I mentored achieve their desired success in life.

 

[fel3]

TigerGuy…

I agree. In fact, one of the reasons I was hired for my current job was my desire to mentor younger engineers and I am allowed to charge a reasonable amount of time to overhead for this purpose. In addition, I also use my QA/QC reviews are part of this mentoring process.

============
"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill

 

[geotechguy1]

Supporting juniors is normal but the statement "after joining the company the manager told me I am only here to support the junior engineers" is pretty alarming.

It should be the other way around. You are the one who is actually competent and qualified to the do the work, the juniors don't know their textbook from reality. They're there to support you and learn from you in the process.

 

[zzzcivil]

If you are senior, wouldn't training them save you time on redlines or disciplinary actions? Unless you like that sort of thing...

 

[NorthCivil]

The young guns often have great questions, that help you either reinforce the knowledge you have, and occasionally, can even challenge your own knowledge, opinion, and judgement so you change your outlook.

To teach something is the final step in learning/understanding/mastery of a topic.

I've just hired my first guy a few months ago, its painful at times but it gives me a great perspective on how far i've come since graduating.

Also, someone did it for me, now i'm giving back.[pre][/pre]