National Minimum Wage

National Minimum Wage
3.57 While the combined share of total starts by 16-18 year olds and 19-24 year olds in England
fell from 82 per cent in 2009/10 to 60 per cent in 2010/11, their absolute numbers increased.
Various factors may have contributed to the growing proportion of older apprentices,
including the state of the labour market and the switch of existing government funding for
training employees (Train to Gain) into apprenticeships. In addition the majority of apprentices
were already working for their employer before starting their apprenticeship (evidence on this
latter point is presented later in the chapter).
Apprentice Hours and Pay
3.58 We have noted in recent reports that the evidence base on apprentice pay, in particular that
covering each of the four UK countries, was inadequate. In response to a request from the
Commission, we are pleased that the Government commissioned a UK-wide survey of
apprentice pay in the summer of 2011. Ipsos MORI (BIS, 2012b) undertook a telephone
survey of a sample of individual apprentices in Great Britain, and a postal survey of all
apprentices in Northern Ireland. We think it important that we build up a time series of data
on apprenticeship hours and pay, and would encourage the Government to repeat this survey
in 2012. This would allow us to compare the position of apprentices over time, and gain a
better understanding of the impact of the Apprentice Rate.
Apprentice Hours: Work and Training
3.59 The BIS Apprentice Pay Survey found that the most commonly occurring weekly working
hours were 35 to 39 hours (38 per cent). In addition around a quarter of apprentices had
contracted hours of between 40 and 44 a week. So around two-thirds of apprentices worked
between 35 to 44 hours a week. However, around 5 per cent of apprentices claimed to work
fewer than 16 hours a week – the minimum number of hours required under apprentice
training arrangements in England.
3.60 Around a third of apprentices took part in both on-the-job and off-the-job training. A similar
proportion took part in on-the-job only, while 11 per cent did off-the-job training only. Figure
3.10 shows that on-the-job training is higher than off-the-job training in all sectors. Over 80
per cent of apprentices in electrotechnical, engineering, and hairdressing undertook on-thejob
training compared with only 50 per cent of those in retail. Retail was also the sector with
the lowest proportion of apprentices undertaking off-the-job training, whereas children’s care,
electrotechnical, and engineering had the highest proportions.
3.61 Rather worryingly, 20 per cent of apprentices said they received no training at all. The
researchers found that apprentices on frameworks covering service occupations (such as
retail, customer service, and business administration) were more likely to have said they
received no training. However, on some frameworks there may be a grey area between
on-the-job training and working.
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