I was enrolled on an advanced level 3 Ict apprenticeship working for xxx. In my interview I was told that I would be building computer systems, installing and maintaining software and dealing with computer repairs. I was also told that up until Christmas time I might have to work in the warehouse for one week every month as they were understaffed in that department. It was November at the time and I agreed as I was desperate to find a placement and this company seemed perfect for what I wanted. I signed a contract with them saying that I was to work there for 12 months and that I was entitled to an apprentice wage.
From the moment I started working there I was kept inside the warehouse, lifting heavy computers and emptying cardboard and plastic bins. I didn't do anything technical for at least a month. The only reason I was allowed a couple of days of building computers was because everyday I was complaining that I was an IT Apprentice and this was not what I had signed up for. When the time came for me to go to college for my IT assignments, my manager at the time told the college that he was not willing to let me go and therefor I missed out on almost a whole months worth of training.
A few months later my manager was fired and a new person took his place. I was told that I would be able to do all of the jobs promised to me in my interview and that I would no longer work in the warehouse. I thought that would be a turning point and so I decided to continue my employment working at xxx. Every now and again my new manager would put me into the building side of production but only if I kept asking him. He kept saying that there was not enough work for us and that is why I had to stay in the warehouse. Three members of staff had left their building positions and I asked to be moved into their role but again I was told that there was not enough work and therefor I had to remain in the warehouse. Shortly after, the boss hired three new people to fill the roles.
I was unable to gather any evidence for my assignments and I was also unable to have my apprenticeship assessor come in to watch me working. Whilst I was at college I completed all my assignments (some of them had to be done in my own time) and received distinctions in every one of them. I also went out of my way to take on additional assignments and MTAs as I wanted to get the very best out of my apprenticeship. I had also planned to go onto higher education afterwards and I had an agreed plan with Newcastle College that I could enrol on a Foundation degree on the agreement that I finished my apprenticeship.
Three months before the end of my apprenticeship, my manager has claimed that there is not enough work for me and has said that he is terminating my employment. He gave me about a weeks notice and also said that I owed the company a weeks worth of pay. When I asked how I owed them this they said that they had taken my sick days away from my holiday pay. They were terminating my contract and therefor I was not entitled to the full amount of holidays that was agreed to in the contract.
As I have been unable to finish my work placement at xxx I am unable to go onto a higher education course, I am unable to pay my rent and bills and I have not received any of the training that I was supposed to. The health and safety at xxx was a complete joke and I believe that they had no intentions of training me as an IT apprentice at all. I have wasted nine months working at that company and in that time I have received zero training.
There are a great many other complaints I have such as the lack of health and safety and making us work outside of our contracted hours for no extra pay. I am wondering if there is anything that I can do right now? I have been reading up on apprentice rights and I believe that I have been unfairly treat and unfairly dismissed. I believe that because they terminated my contract early on the basis that there was not enough work (which there was) I should be compensated for the full duration of the apprenticeship contract. I am now left in a position where I cannot complete my apprenticeship and therefor I have nothing to show for all my hard work. As I don't have the training or experience that I was supposed to have, I cannot find employment working anywhere else.
