I'm in the UK and currently doing an apprenticeship. To be honest I needed the work and no-one else would hire me. The company bragged about how I can have people under me and managing the department within my apprentiship. Then the cost of living really hit the fan and left me barely able to pay my bills. My boss is really approachable and so I talked to him about my current situation and that I'd need to earn a minimum of £1000 per month to make sure I was okay and that I wouldn't get into debt. He said he'd have a look at the figures and get back to me.
Fast forward 2 months and nothing was ever brought up or mentioned so I go to him again and say that I'm at a wall and I need the pay increase. In amongst this, my employer was withholding the comission I earned for 2 months each time saying 'i'll sort it out later today' or 'Oh it was missed off the pay packet, I'll get it sorted now' and yet mysteriously nothing ever got paid. I'd had enough so I said 'unless you can offer a payrise I'll have to look for something else. Even if you take me off the apprenticeship and take me on as a full time employee I'll do that, just anything to help' and I was met with 'we can't afford to take you off the apprenticeship. BIG red flag there.
In my sector, the cost of living will have a BIG impact on our buisness as we sell to consumers not buisnesses. Our items are quite expensive too so no wonder they are starting to feel the squeeze. But to say that they basically can't afford to have me even if they take me off the apprenticeship was big alarm bells for me. I mean what happens when I finish the apprenticeship? I guess they will throw me to the curb when my contract is up. Anyway so I said fine well I'll have to look for other work.
Yesterday I informed my boss I had to leave early as I had an interview. He was telling me thing to say in the interview which didn't gel with me. Seemed like the wrong things to say so I just did my own thing. Well I did the interview for a tech sales company and they offered me the job in the spot to which I said yes. Not only that, it is work from home with travel to their office every 2-3 months for training and they pay for all my food, travel and hotel costs. I'm buzzing. And now I cannot wait to leave and get started on a proper wage and not have to worry about money anymore.
I'm honestly so sick of this shit so fuck em. They can flounder by themselves.
TL;DR: Was paid a small wage to do an apprenticeship with a company that has no future. Did an interview for a job that is work from home and got the job instantly. Can't wait to leave.