One of the big advantages of a vocational education is that you get paid while you learn. Here you will find out how your financial situation typically looks as an apprentice — and what awaits you when you are a tradesperson.
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When you have entered the main course and signed a training agreement you get apprentice wages from the day the agreement comes into force. You get paid in both the periods when you are at the apprenticeship and in the school periods when you are back at the vocational school. So you are employed throughout – not a student on state educational grant.
§The apprentice wages increase through the program.
Student wages are not a fixed amount. They are step-wise structured so they increase the longer you get through the program. The idea is simple: the more you can the more you contribute to the workplace and that is reflected in your wages. So you start lower as a new student and work your way up the pay scale as your education progresses.
§The agreement sets the rates
The specific apprentice wage rates are not something an individual security company just makes up freely. They are set out in a collective agreement — the collective agreement that employers and the union negotiate in the field. The agreement sets the minimum wage for each level as it regulates supplements working hours and other conditions. This gives you assurance that you get decent conditions regardless of which company you apprentice with.
Because rates are negotiated and adjusted regularly, you should always check the current figures in the applicable collective agreement or with your trade union before calculating your salary. We deliberately mention no amounts here because they change — and because they depend on your step, your age, and the specific area.
§Terms as skilled
When you have passed the final exam you are a skilled security guard and your wages jump to adult/skilled level according to the collective agreement. As skilled you typically get better terms than unskilled guards: clearer wage rates allowances for irregular hours and a stronger position because you have papers on your competencies.
- 01Security work often takes place at changing times — evening, night, weekend and public holidays — which typically triggers allowances according to the collective agreement.
- 02Skilled workers generally have an easier time advancing to more responsible or specialized guard tasks.
- 03The union can advise you on salary, contract, and rights, both as an apprentice and as a qualified worker.
“The rule is simple: know your collective agreement. It is your best source for what you are entitled to – far more reliable than a figure you hear from a colleague.”