Self employment whilst being an apprentice?

[WarwickApp]

Anybody know if it’s possible to be self employed but an apprentice of a company? I want to jump ship from my employer and have found someone willing to take me on but he wants me to go self employed?

I want to go self employed but don’t know how it’ll work with being an apprentice?

any info greatly appreciated.

cheers

 

[Lister1987]

AFAIK you cant be both, you are either employed as an apprentice, employed by the company responsible for your Apprenticeship or you are self-employed.

Given the former relies on being on employment on the job, you can't really do that if self-employed due to the fact that the Apprenticeship route has, amoung it's methods of validation; employer input.

You could however gather your NVQ evidence self-employed.

 

[Deleted account]

you can be self employed, but you would not be able to be an apprentice. So the lower wage rates would not apply.
You would have to be given at Least the full minimum wage.
does this new employer intend to give you lower apprentice rates?. If so it’s illegal.

 

[Pete999]

Anybody know if it’s possible to be self employed but an apprentice of a company? I want to jump ship from my employer and have found someone willing to take me on but he wants me to go self employed?

I want to go self employed but don’t know how it’ll work with being an apprentice?

any info greatly appreciated.

cheers

Self Employed as a what? Electrician or Apprentice? Are you under a contract or indentured with your current employer? do you hold any qualifications?

 

[mattg4321]

Pretty sure there is no minimum wage for self employed. You have no employment rights as you are not employed.

 

[loz2754]

If you have started an apprenticeship with a company, please consider finishing it to the end. Even if you are having difficulties with your employer, maybe try to talk to them and straighten it out.
An apprenticeship is one of the best routes into the trade, and will lead to long term stable employment.
You can always start your own business when you're fully qualified if that's you want to do. If you leave now there will be no going back and you'll have no guarantees that you'll ever finish your training, and even if you do, you'll have to pay out of your own pocket.

 

[Deleted account]

Pretty sure there is no minimum wage for self employed. You have no employment rights as you are not employed.

Yep. Didn’t think of that.

 

[Darkwood]

I would be interested how you would get insurance like Pubic Liability, the fact you are not fully qualified means I cannot see any insurance company covering you or if they do it is likely they would not pay out on any claim given your position, this would put into question whether you can then legally work and charge the public or subcontract to this other person.
It sounds like to me he wants all the benefits of having an apprentice without the risk, legal commitment and costs like holiday and sickness pay, he could simply use you for a big job then turn his back, he could even refuse to pay you citing your work didn't meet expected standards and you would have no legal leg to stand on.
Why can't this other person take you on as an apprentice? It all sounds a bit suspect to me.

 

[UNG]

It's a pity the OP hasn't interacted with the comments posted or given us anymore insight into what this arrangement is likely to be
If he is a properly registered apprentice then I assume that there are grants that are paid to the employer towards college fees and the AM2 test, it's a long time since I employed any apprentices but back then there were all sorts of grants paid towards training an apprentice

 

[MJPD29]

If it was me I'd see the apprenticeship out before going self employed, even if that means staying at your company a bit longer. I'm not sure you can actually be a self employed apprentice, or how you would go about getting any insurance to do so as your not actually qualified as anything. Who signs off on your NVQ also if you have not already done it

 

[Risteard]

An Apprentice must be an employee so as they are under the direction and supervision of their boss (the Electrician).