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What do you earn along the way — and afterwards?
One of the big advantages of a vocational education is that you earn money while you learn. When you have entered a training contract with a company, you receive apprentice pay throughout your training — even during the periods when you are at school.
§The apprentice wages increase through the program.
The apprentice wages are not one fixed amount. It is stepped up so you earn most at the end of the education when you can most and contribute most to the company. The principle is simple: the further you get the higher your rate. The specific rates are set in the collective agreement for the area the company falls under and are adjusted regularly.
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- 02Your age may matter — adult apprentices are often assured a higher rate.
- 03The exact amounts are in the current collective agreement not in a posting that applies to everyone.
§What is a collective agreement?
A collective agreement is an agreement between employers and the employees' organizations about salary and working conditions. It sets among other things minimum wage working hours allowances pension and vacation. As an apprentice and later as a tradesperson it's the collective agreement that sets the framework for what you're entitled to.
§Terms as skilled
When you are trained you go from apprentice wages to skilled wages. As a skilled clothing craftsperson you are qualified for tasks an unskilled person cannot easily perform – and that is typically reflected in both wages and responsibility. You can work in everything from a small tailor's workshop to a larger textile or fashion company and terms follow the industry and collective agreement you end up in.
If you lack an agreement
If you don't get a training agreement with a company right away, you can for a period complete parts of your training in school practice at an apprenticeship center. Here the support is different from ordinary trainee wages, and the goal is always that you get an agreement with a company.
A good tip: join a trade union early. The union can help you check that your contract and salary follow the rules — and step in if something is not right.