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Advice on Apprentices please?
Evening folks,
Quick question regard apprentices as we are now looking for our first…
Can they be passed of as apprentices in the sign trade and therefore get a apprentice wage (£3.50p/hr)?
Going from my experience and what I have read, I was on £3.70 an hour for year and half and there was no "training day" or "certificate" at the end of it, or college or anything like that.
Just wonder what everyone else does. Not that I want to be super stingy but there is a fair difference between an apprentice wage and minimum wage. Would rather someone prove themselves over next 6 months and make sure there worth the coin.
Cheers
Chris -
6 Replies
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I think to be classed as apprentice they need to be enrolled on an apprentice scheme, working towards an NVQ or equivelant.
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We have 2 apprentices currently, both enrolled at walsall college who do some sort of signage apprenticeship.
Although so far have to admit they have been totally useless and have even ‘forgot’ that we currently have lads meant to be on the course. -
There is a signmakers apprenticeship. It’s usually run by independent training centres. In Scotland I went through SkillsScotland and it was a company in east kilbride that ran the course. It’s all work based and they come out and assess them. I’d google it for your area
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Pay them peanuts, and you will get monkeys.
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Our Adam actualy found us and offered to join us as an aprentice we then foud college for him…6 months in now he works 8h day 4 days a week as he attends college on Thursdays we pay £3.7 per hour. Normally he is quiet good and always willing to learn unfortunately the knowledge and experience seems to be evapourating quickly and sometimes we having to teach him pull up banner assembly all over again…recently he killed one 3 times 1st time sratching the print, second time trimming it wobly and on third attempt he forgot to edtend its legs before standing back to admire it…in summary if you can afford proper workforce go for it otherwise assume that you will be losing whatever you saved on wages in materials…grey hair on your head will be just one of the other side effects…good luck
Oh and thanks to the goverment for the minimum living wage such a briliant idea on the face of it 🙁 -
We took on 2 apprentices from Bristol City College.
The course, Im sorry to say, was totally abysmal. However, we took them under our wing and trained them up.
One left after 4 years , due to moving home 80 miles away, and the other is still with us.
We’ve heard of apprentices in that same class who were expected to pay for their own PPE and workwear… Sorry but when you’re paying apprentice wages, thats a bit tight imo.If they are keen to learn and honest then I’ve all the time in the world for them, and vice versa.
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