Brisbane construction boss reveals single text that exposes massive problem with Gen Z workers

A construction boss was stunned when his apprentice sent a casual text to announce he had quit.

Scott Challen, head of Brisbane-based home renovator The QHI Group, said he was stunned when he received a short text message announcing the apprentice would not be returning to work.

The text message was along the lines of, “Thanks for the opportunity. Sorry for letting you down, see you later.”

‘We attracted this little boy. He was fantastic,” Challen said Yahoo.

“And then all of a sudden…overnight he pulled the pin without notice and decided he was going to the highway.

‘That flippancy about his own career… he seemed involved, and then suddenly he wasn’t involved anymore.’

The student was one assessment away from completing his first year.

Despite the abrupt notice, Mr Challen said there were “no hard feelings” and that he would welcome the young worker.

However, he said it would have been much better if the student had spoken to him in person instead of just sending a text message.

Mr Challen added that he noticed a trend of young workers not communicating well.

Another Brisbane-based builder Corey Tomkins, told Daily Mail Australia is concerned about the current generation of students rising through the ranks.

Mr Tomkins, who founded Ideal Group in 2018, said social media has given a false impression of how easy it is to succeed in life with influencers flaunting vast wealth without apparently having to work very hard.

This meant students are not prepared for long, strenuous days on the tools after graduating high school.

“Some struggle with having to do that continuously, five or six days a week and usually only getting one break a day,” Mr Tomkins said.

When a promising student joins their company, it is sometimes a challenge to keep him or her focused, as many drop out early.

However, young tradies would see the reward if they persevered through the apprenticeship.

“Construction is a career you normally pursue, and if you stay in it long enough you can see the benefits financially,” Mr Tomkins said.

The abrupt dismissal was also surprising because the student only had to take one assessment in his first year

Mr Challen said it was disappointing that the student had not personally informed him of the abrupt dismissal (stock image)

Mr. Tomkins has started hiring interns based purely on their attitude and personality rather than their skills.

He added that his very first student, Jake, worked at a bar at night and was still on site every day, working hard no matter how mundane the work was.

“So for the first two months I didn’t care what he did outside of work, but he had to make sure he got better. And in his defense, he showed up every day,” Mr. Tomkins said.

‘We have one man, he has been an apprentice for a while now. He is a middle-aged student, has a child and shares a car with his partner.

“But he still shows up on time every day, works hard, works on Saturdays, and I don’t know how he does it, but he gets it done.

“But on the other hand, I have kids who live at home, their parents buy them a car, all they have to worry about is going to work and doing the work.

“I can teach them everything about how to do the job, everything that can be learned.

“What you can’t teach is their attitude,” he said.