Experiences and Perceived Impacts of the Apprenticeship Minimum Wage: A Qualitative Scoping Study

Around 14% of apprentices are paid the apprenticeship minimum wage in England (LPC, 2022). These apprentices tend to be younger, on a Level 2 apprenticeship, and employed by small businesses (Ibid). Our research sought to uncover the experiences of those paid the apprenticeship minimum wage. We interviewed 10 current and former apprentices about their initial choices, their experiences on the apprenticeship, including pay, and their post-apprenticeship pathways and plans. Most had discovered their apprenticeship through family or an advert online, with none having been given a positive view of apprenticeships by their school. We found that all apprentices were motivated by the opportunity to gain a “foot in the door” and progress on a career path. However, whilst accepting the concept of earning a lower wage while training to earn more in future, those apprentices who were living independently were not able to make ends meet on the apprenticeship minimum wage. We conclude that Level 2 apprenticeships can be an effective stepping stone for a career but that pay needs to be set high enough that apprentices can support themselves.