Former The Block regular Keith Schleiger has called out modern day apprentices for their lack of work ethic a year after his departure from the home renovation show.

Best known to fans as Foreman Keith, or The Blockinator, the construction veteran stepped away from the reality series after 16 seasons to enjoy more time with his wife and two kids, and has continued to renovate bathrooms on his own schedule.

Speaking to PerthNow about his latest ventures, Schleiger couldn’t mask his true feelings regarding the next generation of blue collar workers.

“(Young tradies) want to be mollycoddled as much as possible. I’m also finding the standard of people before they start is not the same,” he admitted.

However, the 50-year-old suggested the blame does not fall entirely on apprentices, lamenting a lack of education available to them, at least in his home State.

“We’ve taken away tech schools from the schooling system in Victoria, and it’s really made a big difference to the standard of tradesmen that we have,” Schleiger added.

“In the old days, apprentices were ready to go before they started, because they’ve done plenty of hours in school. These days they don’t, and it takes them a long time to sort of catch up. I’m calling it as it is.”

Giving up promising cricket and footy careers upon entering his 20s, Schleiger’s home ground advantage quickly became homes themselves — entrusted to manage large sites by the age of just 23.

Working as a foreman for two decades years before joining The Block in 2011, the former show regular offered advice to those who may wish to follow in his dusty footsteps.

“Listening is a massive thing, and also to actually take in what you’re doing. When you’re taught something new, you have to concentrate and learn all the methods you need to know, rather than not listening, and just watching the other person do it,” Schleidger said.

“You’ve really got to tune in with everything and just work as hard as you can. If you don’t listen, you won’t learn.”

All too comfortable “barking orders”, the often intimidating figure has taken up a new role that’s a little tongue-in-cheek, and very Foreman Keith.

Donning the familiar navy blue once more, Schleiger has become Golden Gaytime’s first-ever Foreman of Workplace Hunger.

The role sees him visit construction sites and offices to ensure workers’ smoko start packs stack up.

“I had to actually physically take some some people’s snacks out of their hands, put a Golden Gaytme slab in their hands and satisfy them. And it was a great feeling, and it worked,” he said, very seriously, of course.