I expect that you are right. That makes it even worse, really. This clearly isn't an apprenticeship within the generally accepted idea of what an apprenticeship ought to be, yet the government definition deems it to be an apprenticeship. Talk about dumbing-down!
Except that actually we have corrupted the language, so that now some relatively basic training *is* called an "apprenticeship".
There was a very similar example on "Undercover boss" the other day, where the boss was disturbed to find the salesman in a Hyundai agency hadn't had any basic sales training.
What *I* found more disturbing was that her job title was "Senior Sales Executive".
This was a girl of about 22 who had been in the job for seven months.
On that basis I suppose I should be called an Intergalactic Energy Consultant; or at very least an Interplanetary one.
Apprentice rate for the first year 16-18 is £2.65/hour. After the first year they have to be paid the minimum wage for their age, for a
17 year old that is £3.68/hour.
What we don't know is are these lads out on the street unsupervised or is there a mentor with them? And they are doing more than just litter picking, like graffiti removal. Takes more than a quick blast with pressure washer to remove car enamel spray paint... People are under estimating the job, it might not be a "traditional" apprenticeship but times and jobs change.
It is a Modern Apprenticeship, introduced in the 1990s to replace the Youth Training Scheme. Any resemblance to apprenticeships as established by the 1563 Statute of Artificers is entirely coincidental.
Apprenticeship implies learnig a trade & perhaps progressing to somethoing better. Going to night school or day release. Technical college (Do any remain?) Sounds like these poor buggers are in a dead end job. Essential yes but this is not a job you want to be doing for the rest of your life.
Mostly in house and on the job under a mentor but these days there is normally an element of formal training at college as well. Also for todays official recognition that the placement is an apprenticeship there will be involvement from an external body to verify that the relevant training/skills have been gained by the apprentice.
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