Is an Apprenticeship actually worthwhile?

well what useful/in-demand skill do you expect to get out of it? If there isn't one then don't bother with it. A "store assistant" is not an apprenticeship sort of job, apprentices are supposed to be learning something specific like how to fix a car or something.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 21

Mike_Lia

Exactly, and here is something I posted on another site:

Also, the wages, in my opinion are shocking. I am 18 years old, and for the last 3 months, I have been consistently looking for work. Anything at all, just to earn cash. I have completed my Level 1 and 2 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance, and quite frankly, I wouldn't be happy with £2.63 an hour. I can't get into a job, so an apprenticeship is the only way I can make some sort of 'income'. The only problem is... I'm getting a flat in a month or two, so yeah, rent is also a struggle. If my rent alone is £110 a week, and I'm doing an apprenticeship for only £96.83 a week, then how do I afford to live?

I'm already down by £13.17 at this point, and I still need to pay utility bills and buy food. This is not a substantial rate to be paying apprenticeships. Don't get me wrong, I think they are good. But for people in my situation, it is not the way forward, and rent and people moving out, should be considered and the rate should be scaled to match this.

If the training isn't up to standard, where has the funding gone for this 'adequate' training then? If they don't even provide the right training, at least use the excess cash to pay a better rate.

Overall, I'm not taking any sides here, I'm just putting across my honest opinions on the whole 'Apprenticeship Schemes'

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers, Mike

Reply 22

Sanctimonious

3

Original post by Mike_Lia

Exactly, and here is something I posted on another site:

Also, the wages, in my opinion are shocking. I am 18 years old, and for the last 3 months, I have been consistently looking for work. Anything at all, just to earn cash. I have completed my Level 1 and 2 Diploma in Light Vehicle Maintenance, and quite frankly, I wouldn't be happy with £2.63 an hour. I can't get into a job, so an apprenticeship is the only way I can make some sort of 'income'. The only problem is... I'm getting a flat in a month or two, so yeah, rent is also a struggle. If my rent alone is £110 a week, and I'm doing an apprenticeship for only £96.83 a week, then how do I afford to live?

I'm already down by £13.17 at this point, and I still need to pay utility bills and buy food. This is not a substantial rate to be paying apprenticeships. Don't get me wrong, I think they are good. But for people in my situation, it is not the way forward, and rent and people moving out, should be considered and the rate should be scaled to match this.

If the training isn't up to standard, where has the funding gone for this 'adequate' training then? If they don't even provide the right training, at least use the excess cash to pay a better rate.

Overall, I'm not taking any sides here, I'm just putting across my honest opinions on the whole 'Apprenticeship Schemes'

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers, Mike

Consider a professional house share on ~ £70 per week. Then maybe get a part time job on weekends. Not ideal at all but that is the only way to cope unfortunately these days on one unless you live at home.

Reply 23

hellodave5

19

Apprenticeships can be very worthwhile - learning a trade... but the one cited sounds terrible! ("Apprentice Store Assistant")
I don't mean to be snobby, but to accept such a role you would probably have to have no prospects at all.
I mean, you would be better off in any minimum wage job - so maybe for those that are unable to get such jobs.

Reply 24

Feebs15

These apprenticeships are targeted at people who perhaps didn't achieve 5 GCSE's at a grade C or above. All apprenticeships should have functional Skills attached so therefor would be valuable for someone not able to get a job due to poor grades at school.

Even a retail apprenticeship can set you up for life if it increases your grades and you get a great reference at the end of it!

Too many people would rather sit on their butt all day and do sod all... That's the problem!

Reply 25

orianagibsonladd

Osama bin laden had an apprenticeship

Reply 26

mazzezz

i got an apprenticeship interview this week on light vehicle maintenance. i was looking for an apprenticeship for so long its really hard to find one and when you do theres like 15 other people wanting the last position. i already got my NVQ level 2 at college and i had experience working in a local garage for couple month. am a bit confused about the pay doe on the apprenticeship vacancy it said £109.20 a week but i was told by my apprenticeship provider that i would expect £120 a week and also depending on my experience.

Reply 27

benm23

I myself have completed two apprenticeships in the last 3 years. The first in customer service, where I was paid approximately £2.60 an hour for full time work (40 hours a week) whilst completing the same tasks that any other employee would do for the NMW. During the apprenticeship I received no training in any aspect (no training courses or even being taught by the employer for that matter). After completing the apprenticeship and receiving my qualification I stayed for a further 6 months (on minimum wage) to ensure I add a sufficient amount of experience to apply for a new position.

After leaving I spent 3 months looking for a new job with customer service. considering the government 'guarantees' that these qualifications will help young people get work. I didn't get a single response to any of my applications in these 3 months, and had to settle for doing another apprenticeship within a different profession. So the second time around, I decided to do a Web Development and Design apprenticeship seeing as this has better prospects than customer service. Again the pay for this was criminal, at slightly more than £3 per hour, again for a full time position, and completing tasks that any other employee would be expected to do.

Similar to the previous apprenticeship I had completed, no training was provided, and it turned out the apprenticeship wasn't for Web Development, but business administration. During my time there I did a few 'web development' tasks, but I had to teach myself how to complete these tasks, because I had received no training. I received my qualification after a year at this position. Again like my last apprenticeship, I have currently stayed on a further 6 months (on minimum wage), and am still working here (very unhappily) until I can find a new position somewhere else. Over the past 6 months I have applied for countless business administration and customer service jobs, online and in person, as well as looking at agencies. Yet again, I have not received a single reply from any application.

In school I received all A*-C grades in my GCSE's and an A, B & D in my A-Level's (all passing grades) I now also have two qualifications from my apprenticeships and 3 years of experience in these jobs. Yet somehow, I am not 'experienced/qualified' for a full time position earning more than minimum wage.

I now understand that the apprenticeship scheme is just there so the youth unemployment numbers fall, and the government can have their extremely cheap child labour. Apprenticeships aren't worth the time or effort they take. If you are considering doing an apprenticeship, don't, you would be better off doing volunteer work.

Is an Apprenticeship actually worthwhile?

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