Jump to content
Home
Forum
Articles
About Us
Tapestry

Pay for apprentices.


Jester
 Share

Recommended Posts

I've just seen an advert for a nursery apprentice locally, they need GCSES in maths and English, 6 hours of study allowed and setting will pay for training, they need to be available for work from 7.30am-5.30pm, hourly rate is £2.56 an hour!

Is this even legal?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just seen an advert for a nursery apprentice locally, they need GCSES in maths and English, 6 hours of study allowed and setting will pay for training, they need to be available for work from 7.30am-5.30pm, hourly rate is £2.56 an hour!

Is this even legal?

Yes afraid it is, although I would never insult a human being by offering that low a wage.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought it was £3 something, but maybe as you are going to be paying for training, students training via placement don't need to be paid anything really :/

There is that but in that case I think I would rather go to college and do my 3 days placement a week and then get a part time job that earns considerably more an hour. I think it's pretty shocking that a 17 year old would be expected to work those hours for that wage exploited comes to mind.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is that but in that case I think I would rather go to college and do my 3 days placement a week and then get a part time job that earns considerably more an hour. I think it's pretty shocking that a 17 year old would be expected to work those hours for that wage exploited comes to mind.

Well you have said "be available" from 7.30 - 5.30 they wouldn't necessarily have to work ALL of those hours, just be available during those hours, so maybe they would do a shift system

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wasn't saying I agreed with it Jester, but maybe for some it is a better option than staying on at school for another 2 years now, it'll be £3.30 from Oct.

It's ok I didn't think that, I was just pretty shocked that one could be paid so little.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry everyone, but we have apprentices and yes, they do start on the apprentice wage. They get experience at a good setting, lots of support and mentoring and come out with a level 3 qualification after 12 - 18 months. Is that such a terrible alternative to going to college?

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry everyone, but we have apprentices and yes, they do start on the apprentice wage. They get experience at a good setting, lots of support and mentoring and come out with a level 3 qualification after 12 - 18 months. Is that such a terrible alternative to going to college?

Don't apologise - I'm with you on this one!

 

Apprenticeships have always attracted a low wage - it's all part of the 'deal' :1b

 

If I provided enough hours I would certainly happily take on an apprentice at the given wage.......

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We employ an apprentice on the apprentice wage. We get a grant to cover around 16 hours a week. She is completing a level 2 qualification by distance learning so basically we are teaching and mentoring. We pay for first aid, food hygiene, child ptotection courses and dbs check. Yes her wage is low but to be perfectly honest we could not afford and would not employ anyone if it was not for this scheme. She ends up with a qualification and years good experience to show prospective new employer. We have an enthusiastic young person, additional pair of hands for a year. She has another part time job which allows her to run a car etc.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't apologise - I'm with you on this one!

 

Apprenticeships have always attracted a low wage - it's all part of the 'deal' :1b

 

If I provided enough hours I would certainly happily take on an apprentice at the given wage.......

 

Me too, we put an apprentice through at this wage and then offered her a job at the end of it. She was very happy with this. If we had to pay higher we couldn't have offered her the apprenticeship in the first place!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh crumbs sorry, I didn't mean to cause any upset, I just would have thought the hourly rate would have been slightly higher than that, that's all. Just shows that I don't have a clue!

Please don't apologise - this is a great place to discuss such matters :1b

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No don't apologise Jester. Everyone has different points of view, different ways of working and a melting pot of experience that we share. I've been working in early years a long time ( :o :blink: :D ) but I have learned soooo much from this forum and all the lovely people who post and share their ideas and wisdom.

 

The apprentice wage IS very low, but in a lot of cases, they get a lot of 'perks' in the way of training and experience. Mind you, I bet there are lots of workplaces where they are treated as cheap labour!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please don't apologise - this is a great place to discuss such matters :1b

I think it just shows where my knowledge needs updating!

No don't apologise Jester. Everyone has different points of view, different ways of working and a melting pot of experience that we share. I've been working in early years a long time ( :o :blink: :D ) but I have learned soooo much from this forum and all the lovely people who post and share their ideas and wisdom.

 

The apprentice wage IS very low, but in a lot of cases, they get a lot of 'perks' in the way of training and experience. Mind you, I bet there are lots of workplaces where they are treated as cheap labour!

i guess I just have been victim to cheap labour in the past and I have seen others being treated badly in the past but I'm sure that there are plenty of settings out there who do not do that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the past we used to take on apprentices who worked as volunteers , unpaid, 16 hours a week while doing their training... so being paid something is a step forward..

 

We could not afford to pay them, but they were never counted in ratio.. so hence extra hands and they got a good training and hands on experience.. if we needed to count them in ratio they then got paid the going rate , usually near the end of training..

 

I have recently found that the first apprentice I took on in this way now owns and runs her own nursery.. its good to know we did something to help her along the way, she really was a hard worker but never academic..needed lots of support but she came through really well..

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. (Privacy Policy)