AN A319 CAPTAIN REPORTS ACR RAMP PERSONNEL ON A NIGHT ARRIVAL DID NOT KNOW PROPER ACFT PARKING PROCEDURES OR USE LIGHTED WANDS.

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WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE WITH NO RAMP PERSON TO GUIDE US IN. A MAN SHOWED UP; PICKED UP THE CHOCKS AND WALKED AROUND LIKE HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. HE PUT THE CHOCKS DOWN THEN GOT A SET OF UNLIGHTED WANDS WHICH IS ILLEGAL AT NIGHT. WE TRIED A RADIO CALL TO RAMP; BUT NO ANSWER; SO WE HAD TO PARK WITH WHAT HE HAD. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE HE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO HOOK UP ELECTRICITY; BUT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT; SO WE TURNED ON THE APU. AFTER THE CHKLIST WAS COMPLETE; I WENT OUT TO TALK TO THE MAN. THE RAMP MAN WAS SOMEWHAT 'DAZED AND CONFUSED.' HE TOLD ME HE WASN'T TRAINED TO DO THIS JOB; BUT HIS SUPVR WENT HOME AND TOLD HIM HE WAS THE 'LEAD' EVEN THOUGH HE HAD NOT BEEN INSTRUCTED AND SIGNED OFF. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. I BELIEVE THIS TYPE OF OP WILL LEAD TO ACFT DAMAGE AND OR HUMAN INJURY; POSSIBLY FATAL. IT MUST BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. MAYBE WE NEED TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE? I HAVE HAD TOO MANY RAMP PEOPLE DOING UNINTENDED AND UNEXPECTED THINGS TO ME LATELY; INCLUDING DESTROYING A RUNNING ENG. IF WE DON'T GET A HANDLE ON THIS; SOMEONE MAY GET KILLED.