Wages and employment terms as apprentice and trained

One of the good things about vocational education is that you earn money along the way. When you have a training agreement and are taking the main course, you're employed in a company and get apprentice wages – so you're working while you learn the trade. The pay typically follows the agreement that applies in the workplace.

The principle in vocational educations is that apprentice wages rise as you progress through the program. The further you progress, the more you can, and the more you contribute to the company — and this is reflected in your wage. The specific rates are set in the collective agreement in the field and depend, among other things, on how far you are in your education. You do not need to negotiate the increases yourself; they are agreed between the parties and regulated at each collective agreement settlement.

If you are 25 when you start, you may be covered by adult apprentice wage rules. Adult apprentice pay is typically higher than ordinary apprentice pay and takes as its starting point a minimum wage level in the collective agreement. Whether you are entitled to adult apprentice pay and what it specifically amounts to depends on the collective agreement and your background — so it is worth getting clarified before you sign.

Pay and conditions are usually regulated by an agreement negotiated between employers and a trade organisation. The agreement sets, among other things, wage levels, working hours, pension and holidays. This means you don't have to negotiate everything from scratch, and there is an agreed framework for what you are entitled to as an apprentice.

• 01Pay is typically negotiated collectively, not individually from scratch.
• 02The rates increase as you advance in your education.
• 03The agreement often also covers pensions, holidays and other terms.

When you are fully trained you go from apprentice conditions to conditions as a trained employee. You go from apprentice wages to regular wages for skilled people in the field and you get full responsibility for the tasks you previously solved under training. Wages as a trained employee still depend on where you work – e.g. at an office in a media company in an IT department or as a freelancer – and on any collective agreement.

Wage rates and conditions change over time and vary between employers and agreements. The only way to know your precise terms is to ask to see the current collective agreement or your employment contract – and ask your trade union or school adviser if anything is unclear.