AIBU to think £2 an hour isn't good enough?

[UghReally]

Year 21 and over 18 to 20 Under 18 Apprentice*
2014 (current rate) £6.50 £5.13 £3.79 £2.73
2013 £6.31 £5.03 £3.72 £2.68
2012 £6.19 £4.98 £3.68 £2.65
2011 £6.08 £4.98 £3.68 £2.60
2010 £5.93 £4.92 £3.64 £2.50

These are the minimum wage rates, they are quite shoddy at best and its crap that people have to try to live on that. But look at apprentice minimum wage, I had no idea this was even allowed!
AIBU to think its wrong to pay someone 2.73 an hour?

The issue here isn't that people "only" get paid 2 an hour to learn a trade - as somany have said, that's not only 2 an hour more than people studying for other work, but also doesn't involve them paying fees to access that training.

The issue is that some minimum wage jobs have now been replaced by the companies calling it an apprenticeship, when, as suggested, there is no 'trade' to learn. Also, of course, that the Gvmnt is allowing such abuse of the scheme.

The 'level' of NMW is another debate altogether.

Yanbu back in the ninetys I was doing a YTS ( showing my age) for £29.50 for a forty hour week!

I work for a digital marketing company, we have 32 staff and about 75% are apprentices.

They work 35 hour weeks, are expected to produce a very high level of work that is no less of a standard of full time employees and they get as much on the job training as me, a full time employee earning a decent wage.

The training they receive from the apprentice provider is about 1 full day a month, they have additional work to do but that's to be done outside work hours.

A lot - I'd say around 50% - are university educated with prior work experience, but they can't get onto a graduate scheme or any other job.

They live at home because they have no choice, there isn't a guaranteed job at the end and unless they have help from family members it's pretty much impossible for them to live, I've given lifts to people/brought in food for some of them because I could see how much they were struggling.

Yes, for some young people apprentice schemes are one of the only routes to a career, but when I see people doing the same job as me for thousands less a year it makes me furious.

I've only been with this company for a few months so it's not a discussion im about to have with the MD, but had I known more about the numbers of apprentices we have and what is expected of them, I don't think I would have taken the job.

YANBU
'Apprentices' in retail, childcare, catering, hospitality is just a joke. Cheap labour and taking advantage of young people who are desperate.

I wouldn't compare it with Uni. Yes you do have to pay for uni but you will get your money back. After a primark 'training' you wont exactly become a high earner.

Lots of uni students have to pay to work, as a dental student spent 3 days a week on clinics doing fillings dentures extractions our work was checked but we were not watching, my sister as student nurse did not get paid when on ward, nor do trainee teachers in.

I think the money is fine for a proper apprentice ship with college and qualification at end

The pretend apprenticeship s when it is a days training then justT working is different.

I suppose they could pay them Min Wage, then bill them for the training. At least this way they wont pay taxes.

YANBU

My own personal apprenticeship story is that I was supposed to be paid an apprenticeship wage, but as SisterMoonshine stated, it changed how much child tax benefit my mum was entitled to. In the end, we opted to EMA instead of a wage, but the paperwork was never fully sorted by my placement. I was left for 8 months without any pay. My mum did receive the child tax benefit though. Transport costs were reimbursed. Completely wasn't my mum's fault, she was living on the bare minimum. It was a hard time though. It was awful but has put me on a good path.

A lot of our apprentices really hit the ground running and are worth more than they are paid...

My DP is a joiner and has an apprentice, he does say he is sometimes more of a hindrance than a help but understands that's part and parcel of it. The difference in what he is capable of since he started with him is fantastic. He's been really lucky in getting such a good apprentice, always helpful, reliable and shows willing because he knows he is learning a good trade.

My DP does spot him extra money if he has worked hard and takes him to the pub for beers on a Friday which always helps keep a teenage lad on side!

The problem here is not min wage for apprentices, its the fact that unscrupulous businesses are paying apprentice rates for people who are not apprentices.

Your question should actually be: AIBU to think apprenticeships need to be regulated properly to stop twats taking advantage of young people?

To which the answer is, of course, yabu.

That apprenticeship wage is a pain in the proverbial.
I've just finished my apprenticeship and I know the pain of only been paid £3.20 an hour.The government pays them for apprentices, so thats why we get paid so little.
It's annoying. But I managed to pay for a holiday abroad (flights and hotel not paid for by me) but managed £1000 spending money.
It sucks, bad. But there's nothing you can do.

apprenticeships should only be allowed for proper trades. Mcdonalds, new look, primark and other companies that are using apprentices as cheap labour should not be allowed to do it. There should be a minimum amount of education time/college release days that has to be proved, not just a quick talk from the floor manager etc.

Apprentices should be able to come out with a decent recognised qualification within the industry and the experience to enable them to gain full time work.

This is all quite worrying as I have a son, soon to be 18 who is looking into apprenticeships after leaving a 2yr level 3 course in engineering (in july). He is attending the local college and they don't seem to have had any jb preparation at all. No practice interviews, job fairs etc. They were also promised introductions to firms looking to take on apprentices and that hasn't materialised either.

I'm a receptionist so mine's in business and administration.
I come out with a pile of certificates that are recognised and a really good thing to have.
when I was at college we didn't do job fares either. thats mainly in high school. if they're offering it (and because he's still under 18) and they haven't kept their promise, take it up with them.
Apprentices need to look for things themselves, thats what I did. The apprenticeship scheme was there when I couldn't do anything else, because no one would hire me, as I have no qualifications and (had) no experience