My only question for you on the trainer part... He is probably not gonna follow you around your entire time for that company. I hope it is a pretty short training. If it is a day or 2 of ladder safety, maybe it is best just to go along with it. If it is something that is gonna last an entire month I would be screaming bloody murder. I think it is great you went in there and told him whats up. A lot of times companies make you go through a strict stupid training to cover their A$$.
Either that or try to find something else out there that you might absolutely hate, but you'll have a roof over your head when it snows. Seems to me most things where I live pay min wadge to 10 an hour if your lucky. So everything is wide open. If I had to choose between doing a job I hate and one I kinda enjoy. I would choose the one I kinda enjoy.