Trainees and workers earn the same

THE EDITOR: Has anyone ever considered why trainees on the on-the-job training programme are paid the minimum wage of $8 per hour, when workers are supposed to be paid this wage. How can an employer pay a trainee and a worker the same wage. On the other hand how much can a person learn in six months of training. It takes two months to get settled down in the environment, then another two months to familiarise yourself with the work tools etc. In the last two months when you are now grasping the work your time is up. As a result trainees are only using this as a means of getting money and not learning. My son who was learning a trade at a garage, that could not afford the $8 per hour was lured by another friend to go into the on-the-job training because of the money.

The six months have passed, and he still has not learned enough, but because he is now accustomed to this $8 per hour he would not go back to his old trade, where he would have been a professional by now. He therefore remains liming on the block, now another casualty of the training system. Six months are definitely too short, and the stipend is too high for the employer to extend the training. One has to take into consideration that this form of training is an extension of the days in school, just as one goes to school, works for the day in the classroom and no pay, should be similar to on-the-job training. Stipend should be based on the cost of transport, and a daily lunch, all other income should be as obtained during school. In this way more persons are going to be trained, and only the ones who are really interested in training would show their true colours. Employers would also be able to take more trainees.

N ALI
Curepe