A small favour to ask

Yesterday, Josh and myself interviewed yet another young man, keen to move to Sydney. A Danish machinist, 23 years young, with one year of post-apprenticeship experience in making complex titanium parts for the medical sector. "Do you really understand how far and how remote Australia is from  the rest of the world?". He simply said, yes, I do. "There are countless high tech workshops in Europe - so why us?" - we insisted. "What you have to offer is super unique, and a chance to learn how to operate a variety of machines is priceless. I wish to learn and to grow".   For the past few years, I am struggling to explain to my self the following paradox: how come that there are plenty of kids who would leave their parents, friends, home, then travel half way around the world just for an opportunity to learn machining and engineering skills, while we struggle to attract local Aussie kids? What is wrong with us? Or what is wrong with our own young people? And I am still loking for an answer.   Right now, we have two Canadians; Declan, a machinist, and Emily, an office assistant. They left the comfort of their home for an opportunity to visit Australia, learn new skills and have some fun along the way. And they are having a ball. They are well paid, appreciated, supported and happy. We are literally begging them to extend their stay. So clearly, there is nothing wrong with us.   Quite frankly, when the idea to open a high tech watchmaking workshop first crossed my mind, I was expecting to be inundated with 'please take me' employment requests. It's not happening. Finding young and enthusiastic people to join us, is without any question the most difficult and most challenging aspect of running a business.   But I am not giving up. There is a chance that you may have a smart kid endlessly playing games, bored to death, unsure about the future, who would greatly benefit from some hands on work. I know - you don't want your kid to end up on a factory floor, working for me. You want him to finish university, get a well paid job, a house overlooking the harbour. But not all kids end up as CEOs, and the very few who do, aren’t genuinely happy.   Hand me over your kid for a year a two. Josh will teach them everything he knows in a very structured manufacturing facility, run almost like a military operation. After  a couple of years, they may decide to stay with us and chase microns - or they can pursue the dream you have pre-planned for them. I am prepared to take a chance. Are you as well?

The Sydney Watches Pty Ltd workshop is located in Brookvale, in the Northern Beaches and specialises in manufacturing high precision mechanical components for watchmaking, scientific, optics, medical and space industries.   PS I would appreciate if you can forward this on to your Facebook / fav social media. We need any help we can get, and we need it fast.