Student wages and employment conditions as an auto painter.

One of the good things about vocational education is that you earn money while you learn. When you have a training agreement with a company, you get apprentice wages — also during the periods when you're at school. This sets you apart from many other students who live on student grants.

§Why does salary increase over time?

The apprentice wages are stepped up so they increase the further you get in the education. The wages are typically divided into several periods where you move up one step as there are fewer years left of the program. The logic is simple: the more you can the greater value you create in the workshop and that is reflected in the wages. At the beginning you need to be trained a lot while towards the end you can often solve tasks more independently.

§What is a collective agreement?

A collective agreement is an agreement between employers and the employees' organizations about salary and working conditions in a trade. In the auto painter field the parties behind the trade — the employers in the auto industry and the painters' union — negotiate the terms. The agreement sets among other things minimum rates for apprentice wage allowances working hours pension and other rights. When your company is covered by a collective agreement you have the conditions stated in it.

• 01Minimum wage and wage increases in steps through the course
• 02Pension contribution
• 03Rules on working hours, breaks and rest time
• 04Right to leave and pay during leave
• 05Terms during illness

§A trade with fixed framework

Auto painting typically takes place during the day in a workshop, and working hours usually follow ordinary terms in the agreement. In return, it is a trade where safety and work environment carry great weight due to the chemistry of the materials — we explain more about this in the article on work environment.

§When you are skilled.

As a fully trained car painter you move from apprentice wages to skilled wages. You now have a journeyman's certificate and can take independent responsibility for tasks. Skilled conditions typically include a higher basic wage than apprentice time continued collective agreement coverage at many employers and better opportunities to negotiate because you have proof of your skills.

“You earn while you learn — and your journeyman's certificate is proof that follows you for the rest of your career.”

If you are in doubt about your rights, remember that the union is there to help. They know the collective agreement in your area and can check whether your wages and conditions are as they should be.