Make apprenticeships pay properly, not just for the kids doing the work.

We need a new policy that makes companies pay apprentices a proper living wage, not just the bare minimum. The current system means young people are doing skilled work, fixing people's leaky pipes or wiring their houses, but they’re barely earning enough to get by. It’s not fair and it puts people off learning a trade.

This needs to be tied to actual productivity and the skills they're learning. If an apprentice is doing the same jobs as a qualified tradesperson and has been there a year or two, they should be paid accordingly. It’s not rocket science. We need to make sure the employers are contributing fairly for the valuable work these apprentices are doing, and not just seeing them as cheap labour. It's like when you get a new boiler fitted, you expect quality work, and that starts with training people properly.