Hi Croft I usually take on second or third year apprentices from companies that can no longer keep em, also I dont employ them I have them go self employed as I feel that if I have a minion who is just along for the ride they are not getting the full benefit of all my miniscule amount of knowledge and the little buggers will take the mick, Depending on their attitude, knowledge and enthusiasm I will pay them up to £120 a day but believe me they do earn that, it is also really funny when a course tutor phones you up and complains that the loveslave is earning more than they are, Also with the sort of work I do they learn the whole spectrum of heating and plumbing, book keeping and tax avoidance, self employmentand money handling.
reference to beating your loveslave try and avoid anything that marks em on everday general beatings other wise they will get spoiled with sympathy from well meaning customers, also the advantage of paying them good money is when they do something spectacularly stupid you can chuck a kango at em, if it breaks you can dock their wages for not giving it a soft landing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!