Apprentice

[jadavi]

Has anyone taken on an apprentice?

Thinking about it as my helpers are all going to uni this year.

Any thought on pros and cons?

[Bumble Beez]

I would love to have an apprentice...
Don't really know what it entails but have recently spoken to my local college to offer my setting as a placement.
Will let you know if and when I hear back from them if it is any help x

Sarah x

[vals]

My daughter was an apprentice for a childminder for a year. From what I know it was much like having an assistant, except the minimum wage for an apprentice is very low - depends on age etc but will save you money compared to an assistant. Also there is often funding to encourage people to take on an apprentice. Often you would have to pay for their college course, but this can often be funded. you get quite a lot of visits from the college and the student has to observed doing things towards the course, and you have to tell them things about what they do etc. So financially its probably ok, but you have to not mind having the college visit etc and get permission from parents. The only big negative could be - the minder my daughter was with was able to increase her numbers because she had her there, but one sunday my daughter had to go to hospital and had her appendix out, meaning quite a few days off work. The minder didn't have cover arranged so had to cancel children - as we would if we were the ones ill. Also, if you increase your numbers, remember the apprenticeship is for a year or two years, so what will you do when they leave if you have too many children.

[clairer]

I would be interested also, I shall be checking back on this post for further information

[jadavi]

My assistants are all going off to uni so I am in that boat already.
It was just a choice of apprentice or new assistant.

[pinklady756]

I took on an apprentice in Sept and it's the best thing I could have done. She's wonderful and I can't remember life without her. She is employed as my assistant but is just on an apprenticeship too.

Contact your local college and the national apprenticeship service. The apprentice wage is much lower than minimum wage but they receive the training level 2 or 3. The is an AGE grant for employers, available til the end of the year I think....

There will probably be day release for training when doing the apprenticeship through a college, but there are other providers (in-house type like I'm using) who visit every 6 weeks instead.

[helengreen13]

I have our local college coming to see me on Thursday about having two apprentices and need to have a job description and a Contract of Employment. I have typed the Job description but am really struggling on the Contract of Employment. Do any of you lovely people have one that I could copy/adapt to suit my own setting I would be extremely grateful. Thanks. Helen x

[jadavi]

Hi Helen

Can't help but wondering why two apprentices? (Not one)
I am currently being helped by YMCA to get one