Student wages and employment conditions in office education.

One of the big advantages of a vocational education is that you earn money while you are training. As soon as you have signed a training contract with a company, you are employed and receive apprentice pay. You are not paying for the main phase – quite the opposite.

§The apprentice wages increase through the program

The apprentice wages are stepped so they increase the further you get in the education. The idea is simple: the more you can the more you are worth at the workplace. The first year the wages are lowest and they are typically raised each year towards the end. The specific rates depend on the collective agreement that applies at your workplace and whether you are employed privately in a municipality in a region or in the state.

§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 the minimum wage for apprentices rules on working hours vacation pension and notice. In the office sector it's typically a professional organization that has negotiated the agreements that cover apprentices – and as an apprentice you have a right to at least the wage and conditions the collective agreement describes.

• 01You get paid from your first day in the training agreement
• 02Lønnen stiger trinvist gennem forløbet
• 03The rate depends on the collective agreement and sector
• 04The agreement also covers holidays, working hours and pensions
• 05As an apprentice you are entitled to at least the collective agreement level

§The education agreement is your contract

The education agreement is the written contract between you and the business. It describes which specialization you are taking, how long the agreement runs, and what terms apply. Read it carefully before you sign—and definitely ask if anything is unclear. If you do not have an education agreement during the course, you may be entitled to SU (state educational grant) in certain periods, but the goal is to have an agreement so you both learn and earn.

§Terms as skilled

When you are trained you switch from apprentice wages to skilled wages. As a skilled office worker you are covered by the collective agreements and employee regulations that apply to office work and you have the rights that come with permanent employment – termination notice holiday pension and typically opportunity for further education paid by the employer. Being skilled means you have recognized proof that you can do your craft.

“The apprenticeship time is not free labor – it is paid learning where you build both experience and income at the same time.”