Our responsibilities as a Recognised Service Provider doesn’t just stop at our clients though. We are also expected to ensure all of our employees aged 18 and over are paid at least the Living Wage and that this is increased each year in line with the new rates.
This has had an impact on one group of employees at Prospectus in particular. For the last 10 years, we have had apprentices at Prospectus. Typically in admin roles, however in the last couple of years, we have extended this to other functions across the business, most recently in our Marketing and Finance teams.
The government sets the minimum wage for an apprentice at £4.15 per hour during the first year of their apprenticeship, a whopping £6.70 an hour less than the Living Wage rate set for London where Prospectus is based. While we recognise that there are many benefits to an apprenticeship beyond just earning a living, our apprentices are undertaking necessary tasks for us in viable jobs that would otherwise be filled by non-apprentices. Crucially, their cost of living is also not significantly different from their colleagues.
Our commitment to the Living Wage Foundation means that we pay all of our employees at least the Living Wage, including any apprentices, no matter their age. This goes beyond our commitment to the Living Wage Foundation, it is just simply the right thing to do.
You can learn more about the Living Wage Foundation here.
