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How the employee is treated — and what rights they have
One of the big advantages of a vocational education is that you earn money while you learn. When you have signed a training contract with an employer at the airport, you are employed as an apprentice and receive apprentice pay. You are not paying for your training — you are getting paid to be there.
The apprentice wages are typically stepped up: you start on a basic level and move up as you progress through the main course and become more independent. The idea is that your wages follow your growing value for the workplace. This also means that the last year as an apprentice normally pays significantly better than the first.
Your pay and conditions — working hours, allowances for irregular hours, pension, holidays and notice — are usually set out in an agreement between employers and a trade union. At the airport many work shift work and at times when others are off because planes fly early and late. Therefore allowances for evening, night and weekend work often make up a considerable part of the total pay.
When you pass the journeyman exam you are a skilled airport operator. This usually means a boost in wages and responsibility because you can now work independently and handle tasks an unskilled person is not allowed to. A professional certificate also makes you more flexible: you stand stronger if you want to change employers seek another specialty or build on your education.
“You get paid to learn the trade — and when you are trained, it pays to have the papers to prove what you can do.”
Before you sign, it is prudent to understand which collective agreement applies, how your salary increases and what the shift schedule looks like. An airport operates 24/7, and working hours are a big part of how everyday life will feel — so ask about it from the start.