Taking on an apprentice

[Russell]

Does anyone know the best place to get funding and stuff for taking in an apprentice. I'm from Motherwell and looking to see if anyone has any recent experience. Was looking into snipef but they only give you help from year 3/4?

 

[ih1]

Try and phone South lanarkshire college the one in East kilbride that's where most apprentices go they should b able to point you in the right direction

 

[wetdrip]

There's a £1500 grant if he or she's under 23 years old.

 

[Barry98]

You'd have to pay them more then £1500 in there first year , fail to see why we should pay someone for us to train them imho , surely they should be paying us

 

[LaMont5way]

You'd have to pay them more then £1500 in there first year , fail to see why we should pay someone for us to train them imho , surely they should be paying us

Because its not fair to expect people to work long days for free. And if You have a good one, to work hard for free. Not to mention all the rubbish your expected to take from co workers as an apprentice.

 

[wetdrip]

Because its not fair to expect people to work long days for free. And if You have a good one, to work hard for free. Not to mention all the rubbish your expected to take from co workers as an apprentice.

And there'd be no plumbers, gas engineers or any trade to speak of in the whole wide-world.

 

[Barry98]

Because its not fair to expect people to work long days for free. And if You have a good one, to work hard for free. Not to mention all the rubbish your expected to take from co workers as an apprentice.

It's not fair either to spend hours training them so once there qualified to leave and set up on there own , that's part of been an apprentice taking the crap if you can't take it you won't survive in this trade

 

[Russell]

Is that just in England mate

 

[Atouchofgas]

Yes it is. Citb do a grant scheme
[DLMURL="http://www.citb.co.uk/levy-grant/grants-available/apprenticeship-grant-scotland/"]Apprenticeship Grant in Scotland - CITB[/DLMURL]

 

[wetdrip]

It's simple: when the apprentice signs-up with you, you place a period of time said apprentice has to stop with your company after he/she is fully trained-up with the proper qualifications.

 

[LaMont5way]

It's not fair either to spend hours training them so once there qualified to leave and set up on there own , that's part of been an apprentice taking the crap if you can't take it you won't survive in this trade

There used to be a time when it was the norm to leave a company once out of your time. Nowadays work is not as plentiful. For a apprentice to leave they must be offered something better. Unless your saying they leave in favour of worse working conditions pay etc.

 

[joni os]

Probably not enforceable in Law, and anyway the opportunity for your apprentice to embarrass you with simple mistakes, should you attempt to hold on to him, should not be overlooked.

 

[Ray Stafford]

It's simple: when the apprentice signs-up with you, you place a period of time said apprentice has to stop with your company after he/she is fully trained-up with the proper qualifications.

Thats how it used to work, but I don't think indentured labour is legal any more.

And what do you do if he doesn't turn up, or misbehaves? Sack him?

 

[gassafe]

Sign up no apprentices, lets have a self built skills shortage... That way we can hike up are prices so we can earn as much as people think we do in years to come

 

[wetdrip]

Haven't looked through all this Ray, but surely there's something in some sort of agreement on contract which would bind the apprentice to the company he/she's employed with.
If not, as an employer, I'd be looking for a way to bind said apprentice.
Terms of dismissal are mentioned, I see.
From my own point of view, I'd give my nippers employer, or have , some sort of contract drawn-up just for the employers piece of mind.
If he wishes to opt out at anytime then he can go ahead.
https://www.crunch.co.uk/blog/small-business-advice/2012/06/20/taking-on-an-apprentice-the-full-details/

 

[wetdrip]

Oh, and hands-up all forum members who NEVER served an apprenticeship?

 

[SimonG]

Thats a hands down from me then

 

[paulusgg]

The company I was apprenticed to keep their apprentices after they finished their time by holding a retention for a year or two. Not sure if the retention comes from the apprentices wage or whether the company just bungs money into a fund to pay the blokes a couple of years after they've done their time........either way they seem to keep their blokes for quite awhile

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

My hands are firmly in my pockets.

Taking an apprentice on is a serious decision, I've never done it but do think I've got something to offer and would hope the right person would then stay on and keep working for my company, big commitment though and theirs a lot of people on here asking to build their experience with a view to starting up on there own.

 

[Chalked]

i am worried about taking on an apprentice for a few reasons. (I have taken on many in the past who have ALL continued in plumbing and heating)

Firstly, maybe it's me. But we have a generation who don't mess about with tools and make things as kids. Everyone wants to tap a computer keyboard for a job. I tried out a lad who had never used a hammer (18 yo)! So they have no knack for using tools, or any interest in making or fixing things. Therefore, the trade gets the young school leavers who take to a trade because there is nothing else left for them with their qualifications. My wife works in a local college, and they send me 18/19 year olds who have a full time plumbing apprpentiship at college. I have them for 1- 5 days and give them a bit of an insight into the real world of the job. Most are pleasant and punctual. But all ask the same question within an hour or two. How much will I earn once I'm qualified. I tell them the hourly rate I charge and the hourly rate a qualified plumber would get round here. They ALL then say how come we read in the papers that plumbers are earning a fortune!??
Secondly. Wages.
I charge at the top end of what a one man band locally to me can get away with. I'm about £5 an hour cheaper than what page companies charge round here. This does not give me any profit to employ a time saved plumber. So an apprentice route looks good. But with the living wage coming in I can't see it working.
Let's say I take a guy or gal on as an apprentice. In three years when the living wage comes in, I will pay him it. He now has an belief he is only on minimum wage! He is one yeear from qualifying and after that his wage will go up ad an adult £3.50 to £12.50 an hour ( that's the gong rate on the books round here) he would get more working in a supermarket!

The only way over this is to charge more. Which is easier said than done. And promote skills at school.
But in this iPad world ( I'm on one now) I'm not sure it's going yo happen.

Rant over :dita:

 

[wetdrip]

Sign up no apprentices, lets have a self built skills shortage... That way we can hike up are prices so we can earn as much as people think we do in years to come

I think you've hit the nail, dead centre, on the head with that reply.