Training in India

[stek]

Lesson 1

Log on to production

Tell 1st BOB to type in

Delete * from master_file

After he hits enter

Say you said select * from master_file

And wave hands in the air

End of training session

I had one Bob type the command to move a Solaris Cluster resource group over and he refused to press enter because he was 'scared'.

I had to log in and do it, he'd been on Sun Cluster training, I'd just done on the job!

[ChimpMaster]

I wouldn't do it, certainly not the way you feel about it anyway.

If they need to train Bob, get him to come to the Belgium office.

Otherwise as an independent contractor, you have the right to choose and you can say No and see where that takes you. No one can force you to go on a long haul flight to a 3rd world country to train inexperienced staff to replace your line of work. Where's the benefit to you?

Furthermore at 7 years I would go so far as to say that you have been there too long. Yes you've done well from a business point of view but I think you're too comfortable and need to get a reality check, i.e. wake up and start looking at the world around you - it's changing and you are going to have to get up and make sure you are still marketable, or can make yourself marketable.

This might sounds harsh but I went through the same cack a few years ago. After 7 years at a client I was comfortable and never felt at risk, until the offshoring came into play and suddenly I was training a 22 offshore bod who could barely spell the name of the product. I did the best damn work for those 7 years and yes I carried that through until I had trained the crap out of this guy. But I was OK - I knew I had lined up another contract.

Be professional, but more importantly be happy and look after yourself.

[surfer]

I wouldn't do it, certainly not the way you feel about it anyway.

If they need to train Bob, get him to come to the Belgium office.

Otherwise as an independent contractor, you have the right to choose and you can say No and see where that takes you. No one can force you to go on a long haul flight to a 3rd world country to train inexperienced staff to replace your line of work. Where's the benefit to you?

I think I'll just tell him I don't do longhaul international anymore - worried about deep vein thrombosis since my Dad had a stroke last year. And even if I would give a local course I'm not sure if he could afford the rates I charge for developing a course and giving it (plus the cost of shipping Bob to Europe).

That should sort it ...

[surfer]

And don't forget - you're training yourself out of a contract.

Whether you go or not, don't expect to be there in 6 months time...

You're probably right. Mind you I didn't expect to be there in 6 months for the last 5 years.

Retirement beckons ....