Querying: Apprenticeships

[hillskill]

We have just taken on an ICT apprenticship at my school.

 

Really good scheme- he will do 4 days on site and 1 day release at college. He comes out with a BTEC in ICT Care and Support (or something likle that) and 2 Comptia A+ qualifications.

 

The course will last 18-24 months. Employers can pay between £90 and £150 per week- we have offered £130 per week for ours.

 

At the end of the 24 months the school may offer a full time post but if not the person will leave with a great wealth of experence and qualifications to continue study or go to next job.

[Kitkatninja]

Thanks for your reply. May I ask their age range?

 

Our's is now 20, he started when he was 18.

 

What worries me most is what tasks I will be able to get them to do that doesn't involve using administrative rights and who in their right mind would give the administrators password to a sixteen year old? (Mine is to be sixteen)

 

Well until they have been trained - None and that doesn't apply to just apprentices (or 16 year olds)... I've known mature 16 year olds who put 20 year old's to shame, saying that I've come across more immature 16 year old's. Plus you don't have to give domain admin rights, you could just give him local admin rights on certain machines to do certain tasks (eg install software, unlock PC's that students have locked, etc). You also could assign certain rights in AD to only change passwords.

 

You don't have to give any admin rights to change toner/ink, to log calls on the servicedesk/helpdesk, to answer the phone, to keep stock checks/levels, keep the IT Services room tidy, reset projectors (if you keep the panels), to do some basic initial investigation (eg from calls that say PC is broken), paperwork, etc...

[somabc]

I would love to do this but have concerns about a school leaver working in this environment, if the candidate was male it would be difficult in an all female school... especially if he received any attention from the girls, luckily I'm ugly as sin, pale white and ginger - yes we have souls. Female would be OK but then they may find physical aspects of the job difficult, not to stereotype - just stating my opinions, I know people may take that wrong but it is not my intention (bearing in mind it could be a 16 year old).

 

I would be extremely careful posting this as you leave yourself wide open to a a claim of discrimination by an unsuccessful applicant.

[Kitkatninja]

...The course will last 18-24 months. Employers can pay between £90 and £150 per week- we have offered £130 per week for ours...

 

The minimum pay was £95pw (16-18 year olds and 19 year old's and above in the first year), there was no upper limit.

 

However it's changed now from the old Apprentice National Minimum Wage rate of £95pw to the new Apprentice National Minimum Wage rate of £2.50ph (England only, unless you were currently employed under the old scheme and were receiving £95pw, then it stays at £95 until you meet the requirements to be paid at the National Minimum Wage rate), see here for more information.

 

-Ken