What do you earn — and on what terms?

One of the big advantages of a vocational education is that you earn money while you learn. When your training contract with the company is signed and comes into effect, you receive apprentice pay. You are not paying for your training — you are being paid for it.

Student wages are not a fixed amount all the way through. It is stepped up: the longer you are in your education and the more you can contribute to the company the higher the rate. The principle is that your wages reflect that you gradually go from being completely new to being able to work more independently.

A collective agreement is an agreement between employers and employees about salary and working conditions in a trade. It sets among other things the minimum salary for apprentices what applies for working hours allowances vacation and pension. When you work at a company covered by a collective agreement your conditions are protected by that agreement — it's an important security.

• 01Student wages from the start of the education agreement — you earn while you learn.
• 02Increasing rate throughout the program, so the salary follows your level
• 03Working time supplements and vacation are typically regulated by the collective agreement
• 04Pension often starts to be paid during the apprenticeship
• 05As a fully trained skilled your wages increase to adult/skilled level

The day you pass your journeyman's test, you change status from apprentice to skilled worker. This typically means a noticeable raise because you are no longer in training but a qualified employee who can take responsibility for their own tasks. Skilled electronics workers are in demand and strong demand helps keep wages up.

If you are in the basic course without an apprenticeship agreement, you do not yet receive apprentice pay — but you may be entitled to study allowance under the general rules if you are old enough. As soon as the agreement is in place you move on to apprentice pay. It is a good reason to start the apprenticeship hunt early.

“You don't pay to become a skilled electronics technician — you get paid for it, all the way.”