One of the good things about vocational education is that you get paid while you learn. As soon as you sign a training agreement with a company, you start getting apprentice wages — so you don't pay for the education, you actually earn money in the meantime.
§Why the salary increases
The apprentice wages are usually stepped up so you earn less at the beginning and more the further you get in the program. The logic is simple: the more you can the more your labor is worth to the company. The specific rates are set in the collective agreement that applies to the occupation and are adjusted continuously.
§What is a collective agreement?
A collective agreement is an agreement between the employers and the employees' organization. It sets rules like wage working hours allowances vacation and notice. As a glazier apprentice and later journeyman your wage and conditions are typically covered by such an agreement and the trade union in the field can help you if something isn't right.
- 01You get paid from the day the training agreement takes effect
- 02PLACEHOLDER_100
- 03Rates and allowances follow the collective agreement and are adjusted
- 04If you take school periods without an apprenticeship company, you can in certain cases receive a grant instead
§Terms as fully trained
When you have your journeyman certificate you go from apprentice wages to skilled wages. As a skilled glazier you work on regular employment terms with entitlement to holiday pension and the allowances the collective agreement gives. Many also choose to be members of a trade union and an unemployment insurance fund which can advise on wages working environment and job search.
§Keep an eye on your finances along the way
Beyond the salary itself there can be practical things such as transport allowances and — if you live far from school — the option to stay in school accommodation during school periods. Ask your company and your school so you know all the options that apply to your specific programme.