When people hear the word apprenticeship, many associates it with a low rate of pay; in reality, apprentices can earn good wages and have excellent salary prospects upon completion of an apprenticeship.
How much you get paid will ultimately depend on the type of apprenticeship you are doing, your employer and your age.
By law, your employer has to pay you the national minimum apprenticeship wage in your first year of study. As of April 2020, this is £4.15 an hour, going up from £3.90 in 2019. This will increase again to £4.30 in April 2020.
If you are aged 19, once you have completed your first year of study, you will be entitled to the National Minimum Wage for your age. This is as follows:
- 19+ in second year+ = £6.45 an hour
- 21+ in second year+ = £8.20 an hour
- 25+ in second year+ = £8.72 an hour
Although these rates may seem low, especially if you are aged 16-18, it is important to know that many employers may choose to pay higher than the minimum wage. Reports state that Intermediate and Advanced level apprentices earn an average of £6.96 an hour.
If your employer does not offer a higher wage, remind yourself that at the end of the day, you are being paid to learn and gain a qualification!
What Can You Earn in the Future?
So, we have covered the wage you will receive during the apprenticeship, but what about afterwards?
As in many other situations, your earnings will increase in line with the level of qualifications you possess and will ultimately depend on the role you go into.
However, it is good to note the career progression is excellent for apprentices due to that all-important combination of a qualification and in-depth practical work experience. Reports show that individuals who complete an apprenticeship can earn around £100,000 more over their working life than those who don’t.
To give you an insight into the type of earnings an apprenticeship can set you up for in the future, we have compiled a shortlist of apprenticeships and their potential jobs and estimated salaries below:
Digital Marketer (Level 3)
Digital Marketing Executive: £23,000 – £27,000
Digital Marketing Manager: £28,000 – £35,000
Social Media Manager: £27,000 – £35,000
Network Engineer (Level 4)
Help-desk Team Leader: £21,500
Infrastructure Assistant Manager: £29,000
Network Manager: £30,000 – £35,000
Plumbing (Level 3)
Plumber: £27,000 – £31,300
Construction
Bricklayer: £30,000
Project manager: £40,000+
Software Development Technician (Level 3)
Web Developer: £24,800
Software Developer: £30,600
Software Development Manager: £52,000
IS Business Analyst (Level 4)
CRM Analyst: £38,000
Financial Analyst: £65,000
Insurance Analyst: £70,000
Whatever apprenticeship you decide to go into, it is worth remembering that you are investing in your future no matter what you choose to do. An apprenticeship provides excellent employment prospects and opportunities due to the invaluable experience and knowledge it provides.
If you would like more information on apprenticeships and the benefits they can bring, visit our dedicated guide.
