(Long post ahead)
I am currently in a graduate role. My oringal contract was for 12 months but that's been extended. I have been in this role for about 1.5 years now.
When my 12 months was approaching, I organised a meeting with my superintendent and manager to discuss my contract and moving forward. I was told that they neglected to train me adequately enough (even though I was meeting the KPIs they set for me each few months) and because of this, they'll extend my contract as a grad. Basically they said I wasn't skilled enough to move into the role the grad position naturally leads to, but they'll keep me on and train me. We worked together to outline both skills I'd like and skills they want me to have.
Fast forward 6 months or so, I haven't really been trained in anything new. Each time I ask to been shown something of a more higher level, I either get told it's too confidential,or I'm just explained why we do something and not shown how to do it, or I'm told it's more important to do my set tasks and I don't have time for this. It's frustrating. I've started to look at new jobs.
At work on yesterday, I over hear my superintendent and manager talk about KPIs and priorities for the next 6 months. Mind you, they had the door open and the office is directly across from where I sit.
One of these priorities is filling two vacant positions, one of which is the role mine leads into. I overheard the following conversation:
Manager: why don't we just throw 626 into the role and get a new grad? That'll be cheapest.
Superintendent: eeehhhh, she is pretty green still (green meaning unskilled, fresh, new to the role)
M: I know, I want someone who has a few years under their belt; at least a year or 2 in the industry
S: Yeah, we definitely need someone who's been trained. Maybe we can look into [consulting company] and get someone from there to work for us.
M: I'll have to see if it's in the budget. But problem with that is we may not have retention. [Consulting company] could change who they send out every few months.
S: That's true, but surely we'll be able to convince them to stay on, you know, training, perks, and whatnot.
They're meeting was coming to a natural conclusion, so I put my headphones on to make it seem like I couldn't hear them. I finished up was I was doing in the office then took the work car and went out into the bush and watched movies for the rest of my shift (about 3 hours).
I was so mad. I'm definitely upping my job search now.
TL;DR My superintendent and manager would rather spend a fuckton more money on getting a consultant to fill a role rather than train and promote me even though I've been asking to be trained for the last half a year.