1rst day at Ricoh school!

[C.Vallon]

Hey guys, been awhile since I've lasted posted here, though I still keep an eye on new and interesting threads. Well, the day has finally come for this new technician to start his career path! Thought the day would never come, as I'm sure is the usual feeling for anyone starting or waiting for something "new".

It's the tier2 core basics, hoping for the best. Any friendly suggestions while I'm down here in Irvine, CA for the week?

Also, find my self bored out of my mind at the hotel! hopefully there'll be enough study material to keep me busy lol

[blackcat4866]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

Read ahead in the manual, and write down you questions. You won't get that many opportunities in your life to get these questions answered by a competent authority. Take full advantage.

I'm jealous. =^..^=

[C.Vallon]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

First day done. But to be honest, I feel we didn't do nearly as much as we could have. Some of the others in the class seemed more invested in exchanging stories with the instructor than actually getting our hands on the machines! At the end of the day, the most we actually did was remove the covers!

To be fair, the instructor seems very knowledgeable, a Mr Sykes. I hope I will be able to tap into the well of knowledge there by the end of the week. Perhaps Im just over eager to get into the machines, knowing me that is likely the case. We will see what day two brings.

Thanks for the advice Blackcat. Btw, the beach is awesome here! Not too crowded this time of year and plenty of eye candy to go around, haha.

[fixthecopier]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

You could review some of the problem Ricoh threads on CTN. You can tell by the number of responses to a question. You may see some issues that are often posted that you could bring up for discussion.

I got to go to Xerox school last summer and did really well, meaning I did not anoy the instructor. Last time I went to Konica school, I got the feeling I got on the instructors nearves. On the first day he passed around a thumb drive to copy the manual from and then had to take an hour to go around and show half the class how to do that. I think my commented out loud about it. Also I was there to be certified on something I had been working on in the field so I was bugging him with questions about why they did this?, what were they thinking?, have your design engineers seen what **** is doing? He was annoyed by me telling other students how to take apart things that he told them were not supposed to be taken apart. I was the same way in high school. I am a problem child. I also have a short attention span. If the instructor is not telling me new stuff I do not know, he will loose me.

[Iowatech]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

Some of the others in the class seemed more invested in exchanging stories with the instructor than actually getting our hands on the machines!

The stories might have more impact than you might think. Not so much for technical issues, but perhaps for dealing with the people you will meet when you start turning wrenches at the customer site.

[subaro]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

Fixthecopier, bad boy, you need a spanking. three strikes and you'er out.

Reflecting on my first training course, i was nervous as everyone else in the room seem to know about the machine we were training on and i had a only a day two notice for the schedule. Although i had a bit of exposure to fax machines, copier was a step up and when they mention about exam that we were going to have on the last day of the training i think my blood pressure skyrocketed. I aced the exam and found out after, everyone usually pass the exams, unless like fixthe, you become annoying. They usually look at attitude, attendance and your willingness to learn. those instructors have been doing it for years and know the green from the ripe.
So, just relax enjoy the lunches, some are free and one company [konica] actually took us to lunch buffet each day. Listen to the instructor and ask questions, even though it may sound silly. Take notes and pay attention to specifications of the machine. lot of questions on those. learn to search pdf files as i guess you will get to use the files they give you for the exams, if they have one.
I still see our tech here [ seasoned techs] panic when they are told they have to go on courses, mainly because their use of the computer for search and finding information in the service and parts manuals are weak.
Relax as much as you can, you'll do fine.

[nmfaxman]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

Socialising with other techs is where you can get the best information.

I have learned more by talking to other techs.

That and you have have new contacts.
Do your best, RTFB the night before and get together as a group to do the home work.
Find each others answers in the manual to confirm.

Hell, bet beers. A school is setup for you to learn and get a break away from customers.

Take advantage of making new friends and learning tricks from others.

[ZOOTECH]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

First day done. But to be honest, I feel we didn't do nearly as much as we could have. Some of the others in the class seemed more invested in exchanging stories with the instructor than actually getting our hands on the machines! At the end of the day, the most we actually did was remove the covers!

To be fair, the instructor seems very knowledgeable, a Mr Sykes. I hope I will be able to tap into the well of knowledge there by the end of the week. Perhaps Im just over eager to get into the machines, knowing me that is likely the case. We will see what day two brings.

Thanks for the advice Blackcat. Btw, the beach is awesome here! Not too crowded this time of year and plenty of eye candy to go around, haha.

BE A SPONGE- soak it all in, from the other classmates, instructors, and peers!

[C.Vallon]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

Socialising with other techs is where you can get the best information.

I have learned more by talking to other techs.

That and you have have new contacts.
Do your best, RTFB the night before and get together as a group to do the home work.
Find each others answers in the manual to confirm.

Hell, bet beers. A school is setup for you to learn and get a break away from customers.

Take advantage of making new friends and learning tricks from others.

Your right, I've perhaps been looking and thinking of this schooling in the wrong direction. I'm so used to "schools" being more like college level courses, that I didn't even stop to think of the obvious advantages. This makes sense, even more so when some of the other techs are wanting to set up a beach run tomorrow night. Maybe I'll join them, they seem to want me to join. Less time stressing may just be the key to success.

Thanks for that moment of insight. Sometimes the best answers are those we are just too self absorbed to notice!

[theengel]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

To me, cert classes were always a great excuse to break the mundane and talk to other techs... but we usually didn't talk about machines. Usually just customer stories.

After understanding the basics of the xerographic process, I've never gotten much out of classes unless I'm on a completely new brand. I usually don't start learning until I have those "oops" moments in the field.

[igi]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

o yes telling stories in training.
some guys do it to be social
others do it to compare the length
that's all

[Coptech]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

First day covered operations more than anything. I had a class where Phil Sykes was an assistant instructor to a guy named John Subers. He was a great instructor. Later, Phil instructed at least one other class I had. You can get him off topic pretty easily. Bring up the "China Syndrome" and your work day is over.
Learn from the "seasoned techs" Know how to spot the difference. There is an awful lot of those stories that boil down to a "mine is bigger" in an attempt to tell the most impressive troubleshooting and repair job.

You are there to learn how to disassemble and reassemble the machine, where to find information, and develop a thought process for troubleshooting.

Soak up the "real world" knowledge while there. Just verify the information. It is easy to pick up a bad habit from someone that wants you to think they know all.

And for God's sake, if some moron starts the joke about wrapping a hamster in duct tape, leave it alone... I spent a week having to hear some dipshit go on and on and on about it. He even drew a hamster over one of the urinals. There are some real pieces of work that show up at some of those classes. Some great people too. Choose your alliances wisely. Some of those guys will become friends for life. Some are just lifers.

[theengel]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

And for God's sake, if some moron starts the joke about wrapping a hamster in duct tape, leave it alone... I spent a week having to hear some dipshit go on and on and on about it. He even drew a hamster over one of the urinals. There are some real pieces of work that show up at some of those classes. Some great people too. Choose your alliances wisely. Some of those guys will become friends for life. Some are just lifers.

I'm afraid I don't know that one.

[C.Vallon]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

First day covered operations more than anything. I had a class where Phil Sykes was an assistant instructor to a guy named John Subers. He was a great instructor. Later, Phil instructed at least one other class I had. You can get him off topic pretty easily. Bring up the "China Syndrome" and your work day is over.
Learn from the "seasoned techs" Know how to spot the difference. There is an awful lot of those stories that boil down to a "mine is bigger" in an attempt to tell the most impressive troubleshooting and repair job.

You are there to learn how to disassemble and reassemble the machine, where to find information, and develop a thought process for troubleshooting.

Soak up the "real world" knowledge while there. Just verify the information. It is easy to pick up a bad habit from someone that wants you to think they know all.

And for God's sake, if some moron starts the joke about wrapping a hamster in duct tape, leave it alone... I spent a week having to hear some dipshit go on and on and on about it. He even drew a hamster over one of the urinals. There are some real pieces of work that show up at some of those classes. Some great people too. Choose your alliances wisely. Some of those guys will become friends for life. Some are just lifers.

I did ask Phil about the "China Syndrome", yeah that was rather funny.

However on a serious note, Phil has asked me to pass the word down to you all for anyone that did know John Subers, it burdens my heart to pass this news on to you all, more so to those that have any personal relationship with Mr. Subers. In the first week of September, Mr. John Subers has passed away.

I wish the best to his family and those that he left behind, from the stories I hear he was a great man. The world is no doubt a lesser place without him.

On a lighter note, I will keep you all posted on class room day #2.

[Coptech]

Re: 1rst day at Ricoh school!

I did ask Phil about the "China Syndrome", yeah that was rather funny.

However on a serious note, Phil has asked me to pass the word down to you all for anyone that did know John Subers, it burdens my heart to pass this news on to you all, more so to those that have any personal relationship with Mr. Subers. In the first week of September, Mr. John Subers has passed away.

I wish the best to his family and those that he left behind, from the stories I hear he was a great man. The world is no doubt a lesser place without him.

On a lighter note, I will keep you all posted on class room day #2.

That is too bad. John was one of the best instructors I ever had. On the practical exam, he wrote "symptoms" on the board. You spent the bulk of your time at your desk before you even looked at the machine. You would write checks you would make based off of the info given, the results you expected, then you went to the machine, and wrote the actual results of those checks. And if you fixed it, what you found wrong. He actually graded your thought process. A blind squirrel moment of "just stumbling on what was wrong, won you no favor".


He loved jokes too. I remember him asking how many Californians it takes to screw in a light bulb. His answer was none. Californians screw in hot tubs!

Anyway, I am sure Phil gets up every day and strives to make the impression on his students and the copy service profession by way of his students that John did. Truly a great thing to aspire to.