Training policy at small firm?
Hi everyone,
I appreciate that this post should probably go to some kind of professional, but I just wanted to ask if anyone has also had trouble with their training contracts at small firms.
Right now I am employed at a small reporting firm earning £27k. I lost my previous training contract and it took a while to even land this job and I have completed 3 certificate exams. This firm told me verbally that I could continue my training with them once I completed my probation (which ended about 2 and a half months ago now).
After a lot of back and forth, they have offered me a significantly one-sided training policy which states that they would be able to do the following:
- cancel any exams that have been booked for any reason within their discretion
- 2 working days maximum for every exam which are not guaranteed and could be taken as annual leave
- clawback for all costs for 12 months following qualification if i leave (incl clawback during my training period)
- increase my notice period upon signing the contract from 8 weeks to 12 weeks
- can cancel my training contract at any time at their discretion
- make time off for exam days and study days use up my annual leave
- exam bookings depend on other trainees (there are 3 of us in total) so I could miss a season (or more) of professionals if it was up to them.
There are a few “reasonable” points, but a lot of it makes me anxious to sign and there doesn’t seem to be any guarantees from their side about providing training. My college starts up in June and if I miss it, I would probably have to wait for July or September. Due to the apprenticeship funding rules, this is the only college I can apply to since there is evidence of me having funding from before the changes.
The firm knows I am time pressured and said they would not sign me up for training if I don’t accept this policy. I have not started negotiating officially, but there has been evidence that they aren't willing to give me unpaid time off either.
The job market has been pretty bad and I intended to complete my certificate exams at least, but I am not sure if I should just give up on the contract and fund it independently or do something else. I care the most about gaining time experience and I don’t want to give up my qualification because of the financial confusion and constant delays from my employer.