Training at 35 - will salons take me on an apprentiship?

[KayaPapaya]

There are lots of us would love to, however, you cost us the same as an income producing stylist. We can't even have volunteer work experience now, they must be paid full min wage. It's the reason why we all want the 16 and 17 year olds, they are the only ones who are affordable. It's a disaster for the industry and for the individuals trying to break into hairdressing, but salon owners can only operate within the law. Write to your mp if you want the rules changed.

Even as an apprentice? I was under the impression, no matter what your age, if you became an apprentice (in your first year) you'd be on £2.65 an hour.

How the hell anyone's supposed to "live" on that amount is beyond me, but that's a story for another thread I guess.

And volunteering, really we can't even volunteer anymore, even if we approach salons ourselves? I'm stunned if that's the case! How can we get experience otherwise?! LOL!

 

[Faye_T]

Even as an apprentice? I was under the impression, no matter what your age, if you became an apprentice (in your first year) you'd be on £2.65 an hour.

How the hell anyone's supposed to "live" on that amount is beyond me, but that's a story for another thread I guess.

And volunteering, really we can't even volunteer anymore, even if we approach salons ourselves? I'm stunned if that's the case! How can we get experience otherwise?! LOL!

I presume that this is due to the minimum wage which would put us even higher after the age of 22? - I guess its difficult for a salon to justify taking someone of my age over a young person with many mor years ahead of them.

Edit; i wanted to mention that after going to my Toni & Guy salon i was discussing this with my stylist, he told me that there was another Toni & Guy locally that took on a 40 year old apprentice so perhaps theres hope for us yet?

 

[KayaPapaya]

Maybe I didn't understand something on the Apprenticeships website then.

I understand NMW applies after the first year of an apprenticeship, but I thought that no matter what your age, if you become an apprentice in your first year you're paid the apprentice set wage which is £2.65 p.h.

 

[Faye_T]

Maybe I didn't understand something on the Apprenticeships website then.

I understand NMW applies after the first year of an apprenticeship, but I thought that no matter what your age, if you become an apprentice in your first year you're paid the apprentice set wage which is £2.65 p.h.

Actually, it appears that you are right, apprentiships are the same no matter the age. However from reading, they are also exempt from age discrimination legislation. So they can advertise for the lower brackets with no come backs.

Ah, no, i found the actual answer.

1
.2 Minimum wage and employee rights for apprentices
Apprentices aged 16-18 are entitled to the ‘apprentice minimum wage’ of £2.60 an hour.7
Apprentices aged 19 and over in the first 12 months of their apprenticeship are also entitled to the apprentice minimum wage. After the first 12 months of their apprenticeship, people aged over 19 are entitled to the National Minimum Wage.8 National Minimum Wage rates are age dependent and rise from £4.98 an hour for under 21 year olds to £6.08 an hour for people aged 21 and over.9
As apprentices are employees they are entitled to the same employment rights as other employees. This includes holiday entitlement and maternity leave.10

taken from www.parliament.uk/

More info, sorry to keep adding; it also seems that dependant on the age of the apprentice the government will give % of funding so as i read its as follows;

• 100% of the training costs if the apprentice is aged 16-18;
• 50% of the training costs if the apprentice is aged 19-24;
• Up to 50% of the training costs if the apprentice is aged over 25

Really something that the Government should re look at with the current climate and amount of people retraining - not the salon owners faults that the only and most viable option they have is to take on 16 - 18 year olds.