Why don't the government come clean and admit it's just a scheme to help young people into work?
Saying you can be an apprentice window cleaner is stupid and insults people who've had to do a real apprenticeship.
There aren't many 'real' apprenticeships around these days.
A plumber used to learn his trade from a master over a 5 year period and get this trade papers after he passed his exams and a practical.
Now days the training is 6 weeks and he is fully qualified.
I spoke to one who was fitting some radiators in a customer's house.
Does he know how to solder copper pipe together? No need as he will use plastic with push in joiners.
Does he know how to join his plastic pipe to a lead pipe? No, there aren't any lead pipes anymore.
How did you get started in business after qualification of 6 weeks? With a government grant - actually he said the government gave him the money.
How did you manage to buy a new Vivaro van? I got a loan.
How did you get a loan when you have nothing to use as collateral. The government helped me.
How did they do that? They told the bank to give me the money.
He then got annoyed with all the questions.