What you can expect to earn as an Apprentice

The traditional route of classroom-based education isn’t for everyone and that’s okay. We all have varying learning styles. Some of us thrive on textbook based learning, and some of us prefer actually doing what we’re taught from the onset. Luckily, there is the exciting option of apprenticeships for those who want hands-on training with the chance to put their skills into practice. 

Apprenticeships aren’t just available for school leavers. You could be looking to gain new skills or seeking a complete career change. There are hundreds to choose from in all industry sectors and your salary will depend on the industry, location and the type of apprenticeship. 

What Apprenticeships pay the most 

By this point you’re probably wondering what kind of apprenticeships there are but more importantly, you’re probably wondering how much you’re going to get paid. See below for a brief overview of information from the National Government website about the types of apprenticeships you can get involved in and what salaries you can expect;  

Career	Starting Salary	Experienced Salary	Working Hours	Possible Shift Pattern
Lift Engineer	£19,000	£40,000	42 to 44	Evenings / Weekends / Bank Holidays
Auto Electrician	£17,000	£38,000	40 t0 44	On Call (As Customers Demand)
Forklift Truck Engineer	£18,000	£37,000	42 to 44	Between 8am and 6pm
Locksmith	£20,000	£37,000	42 to 44	Evenings / Weekends / Bank Holidays
Carpenter	£17,000	£35,000	40 to 45	Evenings / Weekends / Bank Holidays
Landscaper	£16,000	£30,000	38 to 40	Weekends
Paint Sprayer	£19,000	£30,000	40 to 48	Weekends
Shopfitter	£17,000	£30,000	43 to 45	Nights
Butcher	£14,500	£30,000	43 to 45	Evenings / Weekends / Bank Holidays
Restaurant Manager	£18,000	£30,000	42 to 44	Evenings / Weekends / Bank Holidays
Cabin Crew	£13,500	£29,000	30 to 40	Evenings / Weekends / Bank Holidays
Letting Agent	£16,000	£28,000	40 to 42	Evenings / Weekends
Fitness Instructor	£14,000	£27,000	32 to 40	As a contractor / Self-employed
Port Operative	£16,000	£27,000	43 to 45	Days / Nights / Weekends
Lifeguard	£13,000	£25,000	41 to 43	Evenings / Weekends / Bank Holidays

As you can see, there’s a wide range of career opportunities that begin through an Apprenticeship. The top paying fields once you are qualified and become more experienced are engineering based jobs, with an experienced Lift Engineer ranking first in the examples given.  

The importance of Engineers  

There is no better time to get involved in engineering as according to Government studies, “within five years, 20% of the existing workforce is set to retire, and to compound that issue, it is estimated that, each year, the industry is short by as many as 186,000 young engineers that it needs to join this contracting talent pool. As a result, the window for building a strong and capable workforce is narrowing, and the skills gap widening.”  The world is going to always need engineers as there will always be things to be maintained and fixed so there is less worry about job security.

“Apprenticeships are playing a central role in helping to deliver the skills that individuals, businesses and the economy need to recover from the pandemic.”

APPRENTICESHIPS AND SKILLS MINISTER GILLIAN KEEGAN

With new schemes being instated to close the ever-growing skills gap and labour shortage, there’s no better time to get on board and get learning. 

Why a Lift Engineer Apprenticeship?  

LIFT ENGINEERS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK 

A high paying job like a Lift Engineer is an exciting prospect that might not necessarily be on someone’s initial job radar. They are the unsung heroes silently working in the background, helping the world functions in ways like; 

• Helping patients be safely transported between hospital floors 

• Making sure all holiday makers get to see the sights at the top of cliffs, amazing buildings and special landmarks 
• Getting your favourite footballers’ pre match meals zipped up from the kitchen areas 
• Helping an ageing population to stay in their family homes for longer 
• Helping busy shoppers and workforces get from a to b without a worry in transport stations, shopping malls and offices. 
• Supporting the delivery of luxury service to guests in grand hotels, resorts and in their own homes 

Across the country wherever there are lifts or escalators, you’ll be there.  

Check out this infographic for more reasons as to why the lift and escalator industry is the place to be. 

IT’S MORE TECHNICALLY ADVANCED THAN YOU EXPECT  

Working in the lift and escalators industry offers a unique mix of engineering and technology. And as an Apprentice, you’ll be right out there in the thick of it. Engineering is linked very closely to technology and plays a huge part in technological advances. Being at the forefront of innovation is integral to helping society progress. As technology advances, so will lifts, escalators and moving walkways. 

You can expect to work with exciting advanced technology like AI, Big Data and IoT (Internet of Things) to improve performance, operations and monitoring with remote diagnostics, real time notifications and predictive maintenance insights. 

YOUR SKILLS WILL BE TRANSFERABLE  

Through testing, upgrading, repairing and maintaining lifts, you’ll develop your practical ability across electrical, mechanical and electrotechnical engineering. But it doesn’t stop there. You’ll also gain brilliant life skills like dealing with an emergency, communication and problem-solving. These kinds of transferable skills are desirable in any competitive work environment and by many prospective employers.  

AND YOU CAN SAVE MONEY! 

Once qualified you can expect the starting salary of c£19,000 a year and as you work up to that, if you’re 16 to 18 or in the first year of your apprenticeship, you’re entitled to the apprentice rate. If you’re 19 or over and have completed the first year of your apprenticeship, you’re entitled to the National Minimum Wage. Although there are minimum salaries set in place, many employers pay more and offer their apprentices competitive salaries.  

In today’s climate, the financial stress of student loans or tuition fees is a massive worry for young people. It’s worth noting that apprenticeships are funded from contributions made by the government and your employer. 

This means that you will have no student debt but can still gain a qualification that with further courses can be the equivalent to a degree certification. The only thing you’ll have to worry about is choosing which friends to take to that gig or out for a pizza! 

An apprenticeship won’t just level up your career, it’ll level up your life. 

Find out more – read Lift Apprenticeship success stories here and all about the Lift/Escalator Apprenticeship here. 

Ready to take the first step? 

Check out this list of lift employers. There are many different types of businesses in the industry. You can choose from big multi-nationals to smaller specialists. Each offers a unique Apprenticeship experience. Find the employer that best fits you, find out all you need to know about them – and apply!