Andy. Obviously things are different in the UK than Australia. Any workshop that takes on an apprentice gets $1500 on sign up. They then get another $2500 on completion.

Sure, its not much but it is an incentive.

Sure, I get paid (as a trainer) but I only have an apprentice 1 day per week - the workshop has them the other 4 days!! Do you expect them to be churning out the same hours per job as a trained technician??

Our charge for 6 months of training is $285.00 plus they pay for their text books (once only cost - approx. $160) plus their workbooks (average price is $10 per module - they pay it, not the workshop - self education claimed back on income tax). Is that such a huge expense to you even if you paid the training fee (many employers pay the training fee on successful completion at the end of each year)??????

Just curious re your apprenticeship system

Cheers