sit next to Nellie

sit next to Nellie

old-fashioned To work alongside a person with a lot of experience so as to learn how best to do a job by watching them work. It used to be the case that new recruits would just sit next to "Nellie" when they joined the team; now, with how quickly technology is advancing, it's often the new recruits who have to explain how things work to the older members of staff.

See also: Nellie, next, sit

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

sit next to Nellie

learn how to do a job or task by watching and copying someone experienced in it. informal

See also: Nellie, next, sit

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017