Am I being unreasonable?

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Hello everybody. So I'm an apprentice for a big company (United Kingdom). I am 20 years old. So basically we are in their in-house training 4 days a week and 1 day a week at a college. They have set up to become coded by Christmas.At the in-house, there is 10 apprentices and only 3 welding sets available so in day from 8am-4pm, everyone roughly gets in around 2 or 3 welds if you lucky, approximately 150mm long. Root, hot pass and weave. The people training us know that we apprentices are disappointed and they too. They haven't brought in enough equipment and will take a couple of months due to the poor organisation. (like a bureaucracy). At college we do theory work then we have a couple of hours of workshop. In the workshop there is a scrap pin full of welded joints. like 90% of the crap there is t-joints which are teed against another to create another Tee and so on. The place also has minimal rods. They don't really use a specific rod to practice. Due to lack or rods I was using some 6010, 7016, 7018 I believe. At the in-house, we use either 6013 or there are 7018 but we are still newbies so we use the basic 6013 rutiles. At college I have asked some of the other apprentices from different companies who were there at the college last year (same classes as me) and they all say that they just weld all the scraps. welding over existing welds. and if you get any luck then you might find some material in the scrap bin that you may can cut to make a butt joint or such. they do not cut any fresh material or anything.  t joints in scrap bin like this all welded up. I asked to be transferred to another college so i can improve my welding quicker but got declined. I have been to another college before and compared to this they provided us with nice plates which were freshly cut from new sheets or offcuts.So people, am I just being a unreasonable spoilt brat? I feel pressured to improve quickly due to the company wanting the coding so quick yet I feel like they haven't provided us with the adequate resources to improve. I just want to burn as many rods as I can yet i only do around 2 weld runs a day. Thanks Attached ImagesLast edited by wong95; 10-14-2015 at 04:23 PM.
Reply:Hard to teach without enough equipment and consumables.  They are wasting time and money."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:What company are you working for? I am in your corner, that is ridiculous.
Reply:Hello wong95, if you cannot buck the arrangement and you are stuck with where you are at, try a slightly different approach to your training. You show a sketch of an item that has a bunch of T-fillet type welds made on it. Can you torch the vertical segments off and after removing them use a torch to "scarf" the remaining portion and then dress it down to weld on? Do you have access to a CAG torch assembly that you could use for removal of these as another alternative. What I am getting at here is that if you can't weld on things that aren't all cobbed up, maybe you can hone your cutting, arc and oxy-acetylene scarfing skills and then have some useable metal to weld on. Although cutting and scarfing/ arc gouging aren't nearly as "fun" as welding, being good at those skills will definitely put you a step up on the ladder. I am not saying that I agree with the situation you are in, yet, you may need to make the best of it and go with what you have to work with. Good luck and best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:If you really want to get a job, then buy a cheap stick/arc welder and rods and start practicing.  Lesson to the instructors then practice some more.www.georgesplasmacuttershop.comPlasma Cutter and Welder Sales and Repairs--Ebay storeTec.Mo. Dealer Consumables for the PT and IPT torch's
Reply:Originally Posted by aevaldCan you torch the vertical segments off and after removing them use a torch to "scarf" the remaining portion and then dress it down to weld on? Do you have access to a CAG torch assembly that you could use for removal of these as another alternative. What I am getting at here is that if you can't weld on things that aren't all cobbed up, maybe you can hone your cutting, arc and oxy-acetylene scarfing skills and then have some useable metal to weld on. Although cutting and scarfing/ arc gouging aren't nearly as "fun" as welding, being good at those skills will definitely put you a step up on the ladder.
Reply:Wong. It is an utter disgrace. For the money you are paying them you would think they would not just pocket it.Totally unbelievable. I have never heard of a trade school this bad.I think they should listen to you and do it your way, the Wong Way.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li  ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:You could get your own welder and practice on your own time, or maybe ask your boss if you can bring your welder to work. If that is not an option, be rude, take more than your fair share of time, come in early, stay late, whatever it takes to get the job done.Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:Is it possible the whole reason for your apprenticeship program is for the company to receive training payments from the government?
Reply:Wong, is it possible for you to find a mentor in your home town that could let you use his welder and you could pay for the rod. You may find an old retired guy like me that is willing to pass on his knowledge.
Reply:When I went to college, there was a screwup with the admissions, and a lot more guys showed up for our course than would have normally been allowed in. It took them 2 months to find out one guy had not even applied, he just showed up the first day and signed in. Most of the guys were sponsored by gov't agencies, but I was on my own dime so not getting access to the equipment was really annoying. I put up with it until xmas, and when I went back after the holidays, a got a few guys together and we requested a meeting with the Principal. The vice-principal was in charge of our department so he vetoed the meeting. A week later I led the only student strike that college has ever had. Every single guy in the course booked off sick one morning, and the teachers showed up to help us celebrate! The next day we had a meeting with the principal. They couldn't boot guys out half way through the year, so they hired another teacher and split us into 2 classes, which doubled our time with the equipment. If you aren't happy with what is being offered, talk to the people that are offering it. Just a footnote... my wife upgraded her nursing at that college 24 yrs later. When she signed in the people in the principals office asked if she knew me!250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes