Apprentice Job with NO Apprenticeship

[wundumguy]

I'm in school right now and write the plumber journeyman exam in July. One of my classmates works for his dad. He's surprised that my employer not only gives me a raise when I pass the exam, but will also give me a one time bonus that can be as much as 2K depending on on my test score.

He says, he is sponsored as an apprentice; therefore, eligible to attend school because his father owns the business. The other 4 guys he works with aren't sponsored and don't get to go to school. They're paid based on their productivity, but his father will never sponsor them and permit them to attend apprentice technical training that leads to journeyman certification. Is this a common practice out there?

[Tech Rob]

No.

Some folks may have to work a short time as a helper or pre-apprentice, but most make their way into the apprenticeship. Others may be held back indefinitely if they're not ready or screw up a lot. If that's the case, why keep them around at all?

[jrmech]

I'm in school right now and write the plumber journeyman exam in July. One of my classmates works for his dad. He's surprised that my employer not only gives me a raise when I pass the exam, but will also give me a one time bonus that can be as much as 2K depending on on my test score.

He says, he is sponsored as an apprentice; therefore, eligible to attend school because his father owns the business. The other 4 guys he works with aren't sponsored and don't get to go to school. They're paid based on their productivity, but his father will never sponsor them and permit them to attend apprentice technical training that leads to journeyman certification. Is this a common practice out there?


it takes time to get registered, some employees dont want to register you as a way of paying you what they want instead of what they have to. There also has to be a certain amount of journeyman to register apprentices, cant have 5 apprentices and one journeyman.