Technology Show Me What You're Made Of

Meet Mali, Oliver, Kassia, Michael and Rhianna.

-Hiya!

-Five pampered kids with all of the clothes, gadgets

and toys they could ever dream of.

I'm happy that I've got everything.

I'm the brand man.

We have travelled nearly 3,000 miles from Natal in the

northeast of Brazil to Manaus in the heart of the Amazon.

Today we'll be living in the Amazon rainforest.

That's raw!

Have people ever been swallowed by snakes here?

It happens.

How will they cope working for a strict boss in a huge

technology factory?

You cannot talk to each other. You just need to follow the rules.

I am fuming.

And what happens when one of them goes too far?

Two are demoted but we have five children.

One of them is fired.

Firing has never happened and it was a big shock to us all.

OK, gang, follow me.

'We are halfway through our trip and I have brought the kids to

'one of the most incredible places on Earth - the Amazon rainforest.'

Welcome to Manaus in the heart of the Amazon rainforest and right

now we are crossing the almighty Rio Negro and Amazon rivers.

I'm proper nervous but I'm so excited at the same time.

It's like crossing the sea, it's that big.

I know that in the Amazon there's snakes which I am not happy about.

I don't think there's that many things I am scared of in the water.

Piranhas. I'm scared of piranhas.

What our five don't know is that I'll be taking them to a traditional

village where they are going to live just like the locals do.

OK, gang, welcome to your new home. This is the floating village.

-So cool.

-How does it not sink?

The wooden houses are tied to huge logs which keep them afloat.

Living in these floating houses is a tradition that goes back

hundreds of years.

But now the people that live here have jobs in the modern city

across the river and after work they return to their homes on the water.

And our house is floating along with the rest of them.

Right, here we are. Come on in to your new temporary home.

'The kids will be sleeping in the Amazonian way

'and eating Amazonian food.'

Do you want to go into the kitchen?

Yeah.

Are you gutting fish?

I've asked Dudu to be our guide here.

-He was born in a house like this.

-It's massive!

This is a little one. They can be like 45 kilos.

Dudu is gutting a Tambaqui fish, a member of the piranha family.

That's what they eat here.

You don't like fish, do you?

I absolutely hate fish, Rhianna.

You've never tried a fish from the Amazon, that's

why you don't like fish, man.

Dudu is an Amazon expert

so he's going to make sure we survive out here.

You are in the biggest tropical rainforest in the world.

The caimans that live here can be like five metres long.

Water snakes can be eight metres long.

They can squeeze you and then they can swallow you and that's it.

Have people ever been swallowed by snakes here?

It happens.

You're not in England any more.

You're in the Amazon rainforest staying on a floating village.

But he's the perfect guy to keep you safe.

As long as you listen to Dudu, I'm here as well, you'll be OK.

As they settle down to their Amazon supper it turns out the food

isn't that strange after all.

This fish is actually quite nice. It doesn't taste like fish.

They have crossed the Amazon for the very first time.

They have eaten Amazonian fish, they have enjoyed a real

traditional life out here but tomorrow it's going to be very, very different.

Back at home our five feel utterly lost without

a gadget in their hands and some of our kids have got up

to £5,000 worth of kit sat in their bedroom.

Today they are about to find how that kit is made.

We are off for our shift in a hi tech gadget factory.

We are going to the electronics giant, Sony. The company has

had this factory in the heart of the Amazon for nearly 30 years.

400,000 games consoles and nearly

1.5 million TVs are made here every year.

Their 2,000 workers have the highest productivity rate of any

Sony factory in the world. The boss here, Pedro, does not take prisoners.

Thanks very much for having us. We really appreciate it.

Welcome to Sony. So, do you like technology?

-Yeah.

-These guys love technology.

They've got gadgets absolutely everywhere at home.

All of our kids are techno mad.

This little gadget corner of mine is worth about £5,000.

If someone took this phone off me I'd probably scream.

I cannot live without my phone.

I don't even like it when people touch it.

Here's my little baby. I spend every day with it.

My gadgets are like my best friend.

But can they convert their love of gadgets into hard

graft in this factory?

A lot of the work here is done by hand

and Pedro is starting the kids off on a particularly tricky task.

OK. Come on through.

Circle around here for me.

They will be putting together part of a TV remote control system.

They are fitting electrical components into the housing.

And there are 15 stages to follow.

All have to be done in the right order.

This is so hard.

Normal operator is able to mount this part in 30 seconds

but for you it will have to be two minutes.

Pedro is a reasonable man

and so he is asking the kids to complete five every ten minutes.

Every single step has got to be perfect.

No defect is allowed. Please, quality first.

They've been asked to work in silence like everyone else.

It's really hard.

You really don't want to break any of their stuff, though.

I've got a memory like a goldfish so it's so hard.

I've spent five minutes doing one

and you're meant to have two minutes doing one.

I haven't even done one because...nobody is helping us

and I have no idea what to do.

They've only just started

and already it seems like this task may be getting the better of them.

Michael, how are you doing? You are very, very slow.

Come on, you need to be more fast.

I don't like fiddly things.

Pedro is monitoring the kids in exactly the same way as his workers.

Kassia, how you doing?

OK, I think. It is really hard because it is really fiddly.

-How you doing?

-Really bad.

-You have to do more fast.

-I'm trying. I really am.

I can't get these off. I was really doing well, as well.

Oliver how do you get this off?

I don't know. I've done the same mistake as you.

Rhianna and Oliver, you can't talk to each other. You're talking a lot.

The factory bosses here are used to having the very best workers

and unfortunately that means it's not looking that good for our kids.

It's going to be really tricky doing this for the rest of the day

cos I'm finding it so, so, so difficult.

I think the boss is very, very annoying.

Just checking he's not behind us.

Pedro's regular spot checks are putting Michael on edge.

Michael, are you facing any problems?

A bit of a problem but I'm getting on with it and trying my hardest.

You just need to follow the rules.

How many have you already done?

-Three.

-Three?

-Yeah.

As he's been doing it for 26 minutes he should have finished 13 by now.

I don't think the boss actually likes me.

Every time he comes over he repeats himself and he's like,

"Come on, Michael, get quicker, get quicker.

"Show more interest," but circuit boards don't interest me.

Michael is not focused on the job. He is not concentrating.

Michael's not the only one who's finding it hard to pay attention.

Please, Oliver, this is not a disco.

I've finished.

You've finished? Congratulations.

-But please be quiet.

-Yeah.

Rhianna, Kassia and Olly have all completed the task...

Everyone that has finished, let's go with me, please.

..but Michael and Mali are so slow, they have to work on.

-Michael.

-Stacey.

Talk to me.

I really wanted to do well today but...

..I haven't.

It's 15 minutes since the other three left.

Mali...Mali, Mali.

I've just finished.

Tell me why it went so wrong?

At the beginning it took me ten minutes to do one and then it

took me 20 minutes to do two.

Could you work anywhere like this?

I don't think I could work at anything like this.

As they all wrap up, the quality control team check how

many of the completed parts don't have defects.

Only then will Pedro decide who is skilled enough to join a real

production line.

That task is well and truly over. You happy about that?

Yeah.

First of all, thank you very much for your jobs, we appreciate a lot.

We have done some tests and now we have the results.

Pedro is judging them on two things - behaviour

and how many they've done correctly.

-Scary?

-Yeah.

Pedro. Can we start with Olly?

You managed to mount 14 and you have seven defects.

50% were un-usable.

You were dancing and talking a lot.

That just can't happen here.

Both Kassia and Rhianna have managed to get 10 right.

How did Mali get on?

You managed only 10. You have one defect.

10% of the factory.

I'm happy that I only had one defect

but I should have worked a lot faster.

Mali's done nine but she was extremely slow.

So can you tell us how Michael did in this task?

You did only nine and you had five defects.

55% defects...it's too high.

Michael has only done four.

Who you going to promote and who you going to demote?

Kassia, you have a very good behaviour, you are very

concentrated and focused on the job and you are promoted.

-Thank you.

-Rhianna, you are promoted.

Thank you.

Are the other three demoted?

-No. Only two.

-Two are demoted.

But we have five children.

One of them is fired.

One is fired?

Yes. In our factory you need to respect the rules.

OK, so who is fired?

Michael is fired.

You shouldn't be happy.

I'm not happy.

55% defect is unacceptable in our factory.

The reality is that

if a lot of what you are producing is not usable, that's the problem.

Yeah.

Does that make sense?

Yeah, yeah, course, yeah.

Would you fire you?

-I would probably give myself another chance.

-Do you want

another chance?

Of course, yeah.

Unfortunately, Michael won't be allowed back in the factory.

So that leaves Mali and Olly to be demoted.

Yes. Mali and Olly are demoted.

Everyone is astonished that Michael hasn't even survived a day here.

Firing has never happened

so obviously it was a big shock to us all.

45 minutes for that?

I am fuming.

Maybe this will be a wake up call for him to start trying.

I do want to try in this factory again

but I don't think he would give me a second chance so...

Today has been a really dramatic day.

We have had two promotions and two demotions

and Michael has actually been fired.

The boss had just had enough.

And I think Michael's found it so hard here to cope in Brazil with

the work that I am really hoping that he is able to bounce back.

I want Michael to see for himself why it's important to work hard

and keep your job and so I'm taking him

to meet someone who might help him get that.

Hello, Nicema?

'Nicema works in another technology factory close by

'and she's rented this house for her family for over ten years.'

Are we OK to have a look around your home?

-TRANSLATION:

-Of course.

I sleep in here with three of my children. Small, isn't it?

My room is quite small

but I can't imagine sharing it with several other people.

For four people to be sharing one room is really incredible.

Nicema lives in this small house with her sister, her mother,

her 12-year-old twin sons and her daughter.

Do you look after your whole family?

I have to fight. I have to work really hard.

With the money I earn I can't even afford to buy a small

toy for my children.

Nicema struggles to support her family even though she's

a supervisor at work.

What do you make at the factory you work at?

At the factory we make circuit boards.

My monthly wage is 765 Reals. With that 765 Reals I have to...

That's £216 a month and it has to support six people.

We were doing a very similar job to what you do today and both me

and Kassia found it a bit difficult

and in the end I was fired so I didn't do that well.

I need my job. It's just me that works.

To sustain myself, my children, my mother and my father.

To have a job in a factory that you were in today is a luxury.

It's a lifeline for lots of people.

Nicema's really, really lucky to have her job

and, to be honest, I feel as if I haven't

tried as hard as I should have and I kind of threw that job away.

So...feel pretty gutted.

She has no option basically but to work and look after her family

and that's pretty much her life.

If she was to get fired like Michael today, that's it. She would have nothing.

It's a bit of a shock how much she valued her job and it made me

want to have a second go at the factory.

It's been an extraordinary day

and Michael is now determined to get his job back tomorrow.

Off to bed.

-Finally.

-Definitely.

-Worn out.

It's early in the morning out on the river and Olly

and Michael are up to get supplies

Anywhere you need to go you need a boat.

The kids here, if you give them

a bicycle they don't know what to do.

But give them a little canoe and a paddle.

Then they know what to do.

Yes. OK, that's our shop.

They may be in the Amazon rainforest and 5,000

miles from home but they'd like to eat something familiar.

Do you have salt and vinegar crisps?

This one with chilli peppers and this one is like barbecue.

Do they have salt and vinegar?

No. This is the only one she has.

I think barbecue.

But there are plenty of places to bag a bargain round here.

Over here is our floating bakery.

What's in the pie in the top?

It's the cake over there.

Obrigado.

Obrigado.

Well, that was different, but I think they get a lot of money

because there's not a lot of houses around.

Money is very important for some cultures but for many

deep in the Amazon people don't use much money.

Just like trading.

It's just the joy of having money is quite good.

I can't imagine living without money.

They have been living without money for many years and years.

Last night Michael realised that to get money you have to

work for it, and across the river in the technology park,

people are gearing up for the day ahead.

Everyone, apart from Michael.

Only four of our kids have managed to make it back to the factory.

And they are all keenly aware that Pedro

and his team will not tolerate any slacking.

Mali and Olly are reporting to Eduardo for their demotion in the warehouse.

Welcome to your demotion task.

I'm so sorry about that, guys,

-but I guess you are better than Michael who was sacked, right?

-Yep.

He's giving them the job of sorting the old boxes ready for recycling.

Even this has to be done perfectly.

Like a mountain of cardboard that we have got there.

We need to work fast.

Guys, guys, guys, just don't leave things messed up like this, OK?

My mum does the recycling at home.

I know it's like save the planet and stuff

but I don't particularly take any notice.

But neither of them can get out of the work here.

Don't do that, don't do that. Please, just don't do that.

I can't imagine doing this for the whole day.

Over on the games console production line,

promoted Kassia and Rhianna are trying to keep up with the workers.

Kassia, are you all right?

There is just so much to do.

They are packing the wires, instruction manuals

and accessories into the finished boxes.

If any of these things are missing, the box will be a reject.

It's hard to keep up with the pace and stuff.

Rhianna's struggling with the height. She can't manage...

I can't get to the top.

These are too high for me to reach so I've got to balance them.

Hopefully they don't fall down.

Pedro, this has only got nine. Oh, don't worry.

There's no let up but they keep battling on.

There is so much to do and you don't have a lot of time.

I wouldn't be able to do this for eight hours or how many hours they do.

'Meanwhile, after his change of heart about working here last night,

'Michael has come to the factory to see Pedro.'

Okey-dokey. How you feeling?

A bit nervous but I'm quite excited to speak to Pedro cos

I really do want to try and get my job back.

Nothing is guaranteed so I don't want you going in there

thinking you're absolutely going to be allowed back in.

Can you understand if he might say no?

Yeah, yeah, of course. I've had my chance.

Over in the warehouse, Mali and Olly are giving it all they've got

to get the job done and impress Eduardo.

The boxes are going down but it's getting refilled

so it looks like we haven't done much but we have done loads.

At the end they are doing pretty good.

I'll clean the area, you carry on.

We are doing quite well, I think.

Guys, congratulations, you are done now.

High-five. Woo-hoo!

With both tasks finished,

word has got round that Michael is seeing Pedro.

What me and Michael saw last night has definitely changed Michael's

mind and I think he's like become a new person sort of and

he appreciates that this is a chance that some people won't get.

Michael has one shot with Pedro.

Come, Michael, take a seat.

I have been working for Sony more than 20 years.

Sony has given us a good opportunity to grow in our careers.

We need to be very serious in our job.

Because this kind of job is very, very difficult.

It is a very sought after job and lots of people in Manaus want that job

and I didn't quite realise how big it was to actually be working here.

Here in Brazil, to get this kind of job is important

because we need to get money to provide for our family.

We need to educate our children.

I didn't realise how important it was to

carry on even if you didn't enjoy it.

I think I just gave up too soon which was stupid of me

and I shouldn't have done that.

The reason I came to see you was, to be honest, I want to ask

if I could have a second chance of working with Sony.

I am very impressed that you have asked us to talk with you

and give you another chance. We appreciate a lot your effort.

We have decided to give you a second chance.

Please do your best and make a good job of it.

Thank you. Thank you.

I will definitely try harder than I did yesterday.

I was a bit disappointed yesterday and a bit angry

and a bit upset but I woke up this morning

and I had a good instinct and look where I am now, I have got it back.

Now all of the kids have won the bosses over today, Pedro is

bringing them back together for one last task on a real production line.

Hey, gang. Come round. Michael, you're back, how are you feeling?

Raring to go and hopefully I will do well.

That's fighting talk.

This time they're working on the DVD player line.

And assembling the mother board.

They have to add 10 electronic components to the circuit

-board in front of them.

-Do you get it?

-Any questions?

-How much would the average worker make in an hour?

200 in one hour. You guys will only assemble 30.

-30?

-Got it?

So the kids have been given a target of 30 - under

a quarter of a normal worker.

First one done. Few more to go.

I think this is my chance to redeem myself

so hopefully I will be able to impress Pedro at the end of the day.

Rhianna, please, you cannot forget to put this in.

I forgot it, I'm sorry, it was me. Sorry.

The first one I stuck all these on wrong so that's one tray gone that

I haven't done right.

Pedro is monitoring them all closely, as usual

Michael, are you OK?

Yeah, I'm doing quite well but this is more fiddly than the rest.

You improve a lot.

So our five are definitely

getting into the final task here at the factory

and I have got to say, Michael seems to be doing particularly well.

-Michael...

-Hello.

-..talk to me.

Doing quite well, I think.

Yeah? I saw Pedro coming over to you and he seems really happy.

There was lots of nodding and thumbs up.

That's all I wanted to do yesterday and today was please Pedro but...

More of the same. Well done, Michael.

Now that I have got my job back I am pretty pleased.

It seems that they have all upped their game.

I think I am getting on quite well.

Finding it a lot less complicated than I thought it would be.

Hearing how vital and how necessary these jobs are,

has that made you approach it slightly differently?

I'm thinking as if I am Nicema and that this is my last chance

otherwise I get fired, so I'm trying to do my best.

Everyone's concentrating much harder than yesterday.

But is it enough of a turnaround for Michael?

OK, guys, that's it now. Can you finish what you are doing?

They all head to the boardroom to see

if Pedro thinks they deserve a job.

Your last task...finished.

THEY CHEER

Hello.

You guys know that Pedro and Eduardo have been watching your every

move so we're going to hear what they think.

So, guys, our employees have a passion to work here.

They want to improve their skills.

In all the other factories when we walked in,

everyone used to stare at us and be wondering why we're here

but when we walked into this factory everyone was really focused

and got on with their work which I think is really good.

For them to work here is like a treasure.

They want to become better and better.

Pedro, tell me how you think Rhianna has done here?

You need to pay attention to the details

because sometimes you make some mistakes.

You're always raring to go like, "What needs doing? I'm going to help. Rah, rah, rah."

But sometimes that's also your downfall.

-Yeah, I think that's fair.

-Would you employ Rhianna?

No.

What about Olly? How has Olly got on here?

You're a funny guy but there is also a time and a place to do that here.

It's work. But at the end, you did a good job.

-Thank you.

-Would you employ Olly?

-No.

-Kassia?

You were very fast and very quick,

just don't get over confident over that.

Everybody has something to learn more.

Would you employ Kassia?

Yes. For your amazing productivity and quality.

-Thank you.

-You're wanted all over Brazil.

-I know.

Mali? How's Mali got on?

Today you were brilliant.

You had zero defect in the final task

so the result was very, very good.

You also had very good productivity. Congratulations.

-Thank you.

-Would you employ Mali?

Yes. Mali has a very good result and quality

and therefore, at Sony, quality is first.

Quality is very, very important.

I'm really happy. Thank you very much.

How do you think Michael has got on here?

Yesterday he really didn't impress me.

Michael had a terrible start in the factory.

Who's fired?

Michael is fired.

55% of defect is unacceptable.

Your productivity was very low.

However, you came back today and really turned around

and you performed 99% of the quality.

Wow, Michael.

Congratulations. We are very proud of you.

So would you employ Michael?

No.

Not yet?

Not yet.

You've gone from being fired...to delivering an excellent

piece of work.

-A big change.

-Got there in the end.

Eventually.

Next time on Show Me What You're Made Of, they hit the Brazilian

beef industry. Keeping up with the cattle...

Let's go, guys.

So much to do, though.

..handling meat.

You're going to have to get used to it.

-Have they got the stomach for it?

-They look really scared

but they don't look like they know what's happening.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd