Apprenticeship help

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LLB9

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May 9, 2019
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Lancashire
Hello advice needed....

I have got an apprentice that is supposed to be starting in July. However she has set up her own Facebook page and Instagram page advertising makeup and lashes outside of work. She has paid for her own lash course and is a self taught makeup artist. I am reluctant to taking her on now as she lives literally 5 min walk from the salon. I have spoken to her and basically said you are either doing your own thing or your doing an apprenticeship. I feel it's conflict of interest as we are targeting the same clients in the area and I don't really want to pay her a wage whilst she is advertising her own treatments (that I also offer in the salon) in the area?

Am I well within my rights just to turn around a say no to the apprenticship?
 
Is this a formal apprenticeship in conjunction with a local college or something you have agreed between yourselves?
If a third party is involved, I would talk to them first and check if you’re under any obligation to continue.
 
Yes this has been organised through a college.
 
Check what your contract says about dismissing apprentices. As she hasn’t started yet, it might be easier to let her go but if you’ve signed an agreement, you need to check the small print.
 
I'd definitely pull the plug on her job. It's particularly difficult to fire an apprentice once they start work so you need to be sure she's the right fit for you.

it sounds as though the mutual trust that should exist between you has already been undermined. You're going to be stressing and fretting about this all year. You'll end up stalking her in social media and listening in on her appointments to make sure that she doesn't solicit or entice your clients to FB her etc. It's never going to work. Not to mention the data protection worry.

It's also perfectly reasonable to say that you expect an apprentice to concentrate on her apprenticeship. My daughter is a very bright girl who did an apprenticeship with me as a way to get qualified quickly and cheaply after she had childcare problems with her previous career. She went to college one day a week and was stunned almost to tears with the homework she had to complete on top of her attendance. My daughter reached an excellent standard very quickly because we supported her with her practical skills - but the theory and homework (to demonstrate learning has been achieved) is not something that employers are expected to do on the job.

in reality she's a very inexperienced therapist, she'll be practising on friends and family and it will enhance her skill in her job. So I doubt her self employment will harm your business, However, you'll have the problem that skipping work will become more lucrative than turning up on a Saturday. And her loyalty to her clients requests might conflict with her loyalty to you, her employer.

So I'd advise you to contact your insurance company for free advice. They might help you with writing a letter or the next step. Contact the training provider as well - don't contact her directly until you've checked with them first.

But to answer your question. Yes you can end the apprenticeship before it starts.

Don't make this about the threat to your business. Instead focus on
1) the legitimate concern that she won't make sufficient progression in her apprenticeship and has underestimated the effort required on her part.
2) concerns that she won't be available for work to suit the flexible needs of your business which trades 6 days a week.
3) that it will be difficult to prove that no breach of data protection confidentiality has occurred if you end up with clients in common, and that due to the close proximity of your workplace to her home, this is almost inevitable.

Good luck
 
Thank you very much for your replys. I will get onto the college and seek further advice.

L x
 
As long as it doesn't interfere with her working hours i really cant see what it has to do witj you.
 
As long as it doesn't interfere with her working hours i really cant see what it has to do witj you.
Can't do it if you were an employee, no diff being in training as an apprentice.
 
As long as it doesn't interfere with her working hours i really cant see what it has to do witj you.

Can you really not see what’s wrong with this scenario?
It’s not about her working from home but about using the salon owner to train her up to industry standards and then stealing her clients. She’s being very short sighted because she’s risking her apprenticeship for starters. Staff who do this will quickly find themselves unemployed and without a reference.

No-one minds staff doing their family and the odd friend from home but advertising their own business whilst being trained by your employer is seriously cheeky. :eek:
 
As long as it doesn't interfere with her working hours i really cant see what it has to do witj you.
The fact she lives around the corner from the salon and we will be targeting the same clients whilst I'm paying her a wage, i think it has a lot to do with me tbh. Almost like paying her to fund her own business!!!
 

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