Londoners are divided after a job advert offering a mere £900 monthly salary was posted to a local Facebook group.
Protech Ltd, a recruitment agency which operates largely across London and the south east of England, is advertising an admin job at its office in Waltham Abbey, just outside of London.
The full-time role, which company bosses say would be suitable for school leavers, would see the successful candidate earn an annual wage of £10,800.
The job advert, posted to a Facebook group for Chingord residents, read: “We are looking for an apprentice to join our office in Waltham Abbey, Monday to Friday.
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Applicants must have GCSEs in Maths and English, and will work full-time hours Monday to Friday
(Image: sevenoaks chronicle)
“The apprenticeship will be Level 3 Business. You will complete the apprenticeship qualification while working at a salary of £900 per month.
“The position would suit a school leaver or someone looking to start a career in an office environment.”
Applicants must have GCSE English and Maths – but there are no other requirements in order to apply.
Londoners are very much divided over the job advert, with some slamming the low wages while others praising the apprenticeship scheme.
Debbie Cunnington joked: “If they have GCSE Maths then they can calculate that hourly rate, and if they have GCSE English then they can tell you what to do with it.”
Eileen Fairweather said: “Laughably £900 a month.”
Sean Dingwall added: “£900 a month, really?”
Chris Moore chimed in: “£900 in London wouldn’t even cover some people’s rent.”
The national minimum wage for an apprentice is £4.81 an hour, while the monthly wage of £900 a month compares to an average room rent in the area of £644 per month, according to Home.
Protech Ltd has been contacted for a response, but had not replied by the time this article was published.
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Although some locals were dumbfounded by the “laughable” wage, many were of the opinion that “everyone has to start somewhere”, with one former apprentice who now works a six-figure salary saying apprenticeships are essential in gaining experience for the future.
Kel Tahir said: “I started off as an apprentice more than 20 years ago in a recruitment agency.
“The money was bad but helped me gain the experience to move on to better jobs, work up the ladder to a six-figure salary in the industry and eventually open up my own successful business where I took on hundreds of apprentices over the years myself.
“A lot of which worked hard and are now very successful. So I strongly stand behind the apprenticeship scheme.”
Jacqueline Anderson added: “My son started as an apprentice in an office seven years ago aged 18 on £8,000. When they took him on they doubled it. Now, he’s still there and on £42,000.”
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Protech Site Services Ltd is a privately owned recruitment company specialising in construction, industrial, mechanical and electrical services.
Company bosses say “the firm’s success has been built on the foundation of quality, ensuring a positive reputation and on-going repeat business from a large client base of household names”.
Operating nationally, Protech are especially well resourced in London and the South East and currently supply permanent, temporary and contract staff through dedicated recruitment teams.
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