Apprenticeship delays

Luke774

Hi so I was asking for advice last month about starting a apprenticeship I think I'm better off waiting until get back to normal. Companies are still taking on apprentices as they are being used as cheap labour for 3 or 4 years.
Waiting to get to each phase is getting ridiculous at this stage . I know someone who started there apprenticeship back in August 2018 and got called to phase 2 during the summer yet there is plenty of others on electrician Facebook page asking who are taking on apprentices.
Someone said they are on there 3rd year but still stuck in phase 2 aswell as there pay rate not going up .

Another one said a first year apprentice who is with them 2 years he wont get to phase 2 until 2022. And another who started there apprenticeship in July 2019 and still hasn't been called to phase 2 .

How can some apprentices get there pay raise after each year and others are not getting a raise they are stuck on phase 2 rates when they should be on rate phase 4 or 5 .

When you say “cheap labour” do you mean they are being paid the going rate for initially unskilled, and later unqualified labour, or do you mean they are not being paid at all?

I can only assume the second is illegal, and the first like every other profession where interns have to learn the job, do their exams and get their qualifications.

Luke774

Dav010 wrote: »

When you say “cheap labour” do you mean they are being paid the going rate for initially unskilled, and later unqualified labour, or do you mean they are not being paid at all?

I can only assume the second is illegal, and the first like every other profession where interns have to learn the job, do their exams and get their qualifications.

I'm just saying what I was told on a electrician page on Facebook. Companies know you will be waiting awhile before getting called as with everything happening at the moment with covid-19. So you can be a first year for up to two or more years so they will use you as cheap labour . You should be called to phase 2 within 3 to 6 months but waiting times are alot longer due to Covid-19. I think 6 months to 1 year is enough time to be called to phase 2 any longer then that and its just ridiculous.

I just think they should not be allowed take on new apprentices until things get back to normal. There are people on there 3rd year as a apprentice but are still waiting to finish phase 2 .

Aswell as companies not paying apprentice the pay rate they should be on especially after 3 years they would be 15.27 per hour but yet because they are stuck on phase 1 or 2 they are still on a very low wage .

Luke774

Luke774 wrote: »

I'm just saying what I was told on a electrician page on Facebook. Companies know you will be waiting awhile before getting called as with everything happening at the moment with covid-19. So you can be a first year for up to two or more years so they will use you as cheap labour . You should be called to phase 2 within 3 to 6 months but waiting times are alot longer due to Covid-19. I think 6 months to 1 year is enough time to be called to phase 2 any longer then that and its just ridiculous.

I just think they should not be allowed take on new apprentices until things get back to normal. There are people on there 3rd year as a apprentice but are still waiting to finish phase 2 .

Aswell as companies not paying apprentice the pay rate they should be on especially after 3 years they would be 15.27 per hour but yet because they are stuck on phase 1 or 2 they are still on a very low wage .

So effectively you are complaining that the apprentices training progression has slowed due to Covid?

Do you not think that is reasonable, considering what is going on? Building sites are closed except for certain circumstances and few electricians are visiting people’s houses except for emergencies, so I would imagine that there are a lot of contractors who have reduced operations.