Celebrating apprentices all year round
The aim of the week is to celebrate the impact of apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy. All too often, however, apprentices are not celebrated at work. Wales TUC Cymru stand up for all workers, including apprentices.
Are you getting a fair pay as an apprentice?
As an apprentice, you’re entitled to all the same rights as other employees, including a minimum wage. From 1 April 2020, the minimum wage for apprentices will be £4.15 an hour, rising from £3.90.
Apprentices are entitled to this wage if they’re under 19; or 19+ and in the first year of an apprenticeship agreement. Beyond the first year, apprentices are entitled to the standard minimum wage, £6.45 from 1 April 2020.
You can find out if you’re being paid the right wage by using our apprentice pay calculator.
Employers’ Charter for apprenticeships
We are calling on all employers in Wales to sign up to the TUC Charter for apprenticeships.
The Charter commits employers to treating their apprentices fairly and agreeing that their apprenticeship will:
- Be a job with a productive purpose
- Be paid a fair rate
- Ensure high quality training and clear individual development
- Involve the trade union at every level of the programme
- Be accessible to, and achievable by all
- Be part of, and contribute to, a Healthy and Safe environment
- Involve a commitment from the employer to complement the workforce, not supplement it
Join together, join a union
As an apprentice, you also have the right to join a trade union. Trade unions exist to represent, protect and support their members in the workplace.
Some unions specialise in looking after workers in a particular occupation or industry, while others will accept all workers into membership. The TUC’s union finder helps apprentices find the right union for them.
For too long apprentices haven’t been treated fairly. Only the trade union movement can protect them, celebrating their contribution all year round.