Once upon a time, the Confederation of British Industry conducted a survey to find out what school leavers knew.

The findings made for sober reading. The CBI said 42 per cent of the employers it surveyed were unhappy with school leavers’ reading, writing and number skills. Employers are confronted with too many staff who lack the basic skills to perform well at work.

CBI director general Sir Digby Jones told the BBC: “A working knowledge of English and maths provides a vital foundation for the modern world of work - but the education system is failing many young people by leaving them ill-equipped.”

School's Out

But if you have left what can you do? Only a loon would want to restart school from the bottom up. You are still young and can learn something that will help you earn a living and develop skills more suited to your interests.

The classroom is not for you. The easy option of going on to study A-levels does not interest you. University is out.

You need to learn a trade. And an apprenticeship is about learning on the job. The Learning and Skills Council (http://www.lsc.gov.uk) is a great place to begin your search for a meaningful job, that first foot on the career ladder.

Apprenticeships keep your life moving forward. The harsh reality is that having burnt your school uniform and vowed to have fun forever the thrill of being in total change of your day can quickly pass if you have little or no money. You need to prepare for the future. So why not enrol on a scheme you are interested in?

Learn On The Job

You do not need GCSEs to enrol on an apprenticeship, but if you have five passes at this level you are automatically entitled to a place. And you will be typically working towards a qualification, like a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ).

And one other great advantage of apprenticeships is that you get paid to learn practical skills. But do not expect to get rich while you work. At Honda, for example, apprentice car technician are paid £3.75 an hour in the first year. The rate goes up £1 an hour per year to £5.75 an hour in their final year.

This is not a fortune (really). But it is more than the £3.30 per hour minimum wage paid to all workers under the age of 18 who are no longer of compulsory school age.

It is also over the £5.35 per hour minimum wage for workers aged 22 years and older.

The downside is that you are now in the system and you will pay tax. If you’re 16 or over and earning £100 or more a week, you will usually have to pay National Insurance contributions. Helpfully, your employer will take it out of your wages at the same time as your income tax. (See how they look after you.)

You will also have to pay income tax. This will not be a lot. You will not be earning much to begin with.

But with some decent training and vocational qualifications under your belt, you should be earning a decent wage before too long. So long as you work for it.

Came straight to this page? Visit www.kerching.tv for all the latest news.

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://shinymedia.headshift.com/cgi-bin/mtshiny/mt-tb.fcgi/52589

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference If University Is Not For You Get An Apprenticeship And Earn On The Job:

Comments

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Security Code:

Enter the security code:

Remember personal info?

Comments: