To be embarrassed by my wage?

[pizzaintheoven]

We have an apprentice at work who works the same role but is more admin based. I am only on £3K more than him.

This is embarrassing right?

I think it's time you asked for a pay rise. If you are training someone up and responsible for running projects then an additional £3k above an apprenticeship salary is not fully commensurate with the level of responsibility you are carrying.
Shy bairns get nowt, ask the question and have the evidence of the work you are doing and the benefits you bring to the organisation.

YABU to feel worthless as its your company that is shit and undervaluing you. YANBU to tell them to get to fuck and start browsing LinkdIn. I hope you have that option OP.

Otherwise I would seriously consider arranging a meeting with your manager and renegotiating your salary stating all your responsibilities, a bloke would.

Sorry OP. I bet you are fab at your job and your value is not determined by your salary, promise!

I totally know how you feel. Worthless. You need to use this anger to your advantage and ask for a pay rise or seek other employment.

Exactly this!

Yes, not overall value but market value as a worker.

Are they the same grade as you? Are they on the same pay range as you? What does the apprenticeship work towards? How much are people with similar skills and experience paid for your role in other companies?

And that attitude is why people, especially women, have been underpaid for years.

Renegotiate OP.

On the other hand I got a pay rise after reading a thread like that as I realised I had every right to ask for more money.

I try to view salary as a simple business transaction. It is not about my "worth" as a person - I've earned vastly differing amounts in my life and it's made no difference to my value as a person, which depends in many other things. They are paying you for your services. If they aren't paying a fair price you are absolutely within your rights to ask them to pay more. And to apply for other jobs if they refuse. This shouldn't be about the apprentice. And no-one should be embarrassed by what they earn.

Could not agree more!

I have access to how much people are paid through my job. Wage disparity is rife.
And men do not keep quiet if they feel underpaid. Women are socialised to think they should!

I don’t quite understand why you’ve only realised it’s shit because of the apprentice. Do you not look at market averages for you role, what other companies offer? You’re positioning yourself as senior and a project manager and the apprentice as an admin assistant but it seems your company doesn’t quite see you the same way

Have you asked for a raise?

If it's a "him" and you're a woman.

I'd consider the pay gap and ask for a raise. Low wage is not "embarrassing" though 😡

If you're unhappy with your job, for what ever reason, then find another one that is more agreeable.

Because they aren’t qualified…. That’s why they get paid less.

OP I’m the same. 19 year old paid the same as me. Time to move.

Stop being embarrassed, start being angry and ask for what you believe is an appropriate salary for the role you're doing. Now that you know the going rate for someone doing a fraction of what you do, you can start to extrapolate and work out what you should be earning.

I get your annoyance. I'd be negotiating a pay rise bc they don't like giving them out if you don't ask

Most apprentices are working towards a higher qualification level than the job they are doing, at least towards the start.

So for example I did a management apprenticeship but started it when I was entry level, then I was a supervisor and was only actually a manager for the last few months of the course.

So it’s likely the apprentice here is currently the same level as OP but with a view to being above. It’s not necessarily the case that he is ‘apprenticed’ to the current job role.

My brother has recently completed his degree apprenticeship and was the same as me, he wasn’t an apprentice in his original role, he was qualified to do that job. Over the four years of the apprenticeship he was promoted several times.

AFAIK that’s usual.

^this !!

I despise people using age in this situation.
age should have absolutely nothing to do with wages, if a 19 year old does the same job as a 32 year old they should absolutely be paid the same. Experience is a different question, but expensive and age don’t necessarily go hand in hand.

I was 19 and lucky to be on minimum wage rather than apprentice wage, and once I qualified I asked about the promised pay rise, I didn’t my research, newly qualified people in my role were on a starting wage of 26k - I was met with, and I quote “you’re 19 years old, what on earth would you do with that sort of money?” So, they agreed I’d be paid the grand sum of £13.5k.. and be grateful about it. Ha.

I left. - Moral of the story is is you don’t like your job or you feel like you’re not being treated fairly, or the refusal to pay at least close to the average for someone with similarly experience in the same role, then leave. You don’t owe them the job, you need to pay your bills.

OP?