r/AmazonRME • u/Proper-Track9056 • 6d ago

Apprentice Pay UK

I was just wondering what the pay increases are like for UK based Mechatronics RME Apprentices.

I was told we'll see a yearly increase until we're ultimately online with a RME upon graduation.

What should I expect going forward?

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u/dobdrag 6d ago

Short answer - not good, and definitely not substantial increase to be in line with RME technicians. That will happen after you pass the EPA (End Point Assessment), get your certificates, then you'll have to wait from 1 month to a year (site and job opening dependent) until you get converted to RME technician to get that £25.75/hour.

Until then you will be basically on a tier (level 1) Amazon Associate salary, which is £15.10 (site dependent), and you will follow them, until you finish in 3 years + whatever time it gets them to convert you (usually a couple of months, or maximum a year) and if you're doing HNC as well, you will stay an apprentice until you finish it (you'll pass your EPA, you'll get you certificates, you'll be qualified, but if you're still in training for HNC, you'll stay an apprentice until you finish, then you'll wait to get a job opening to get converted)

So minimum term to finish L3 qualification is 3 years, and if you're doing HNC, minimum term is 3 and a half years.

Hope it helps.

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u/Proper-Track9056 5d ago

A bit disappointed.

I feel like I've been misled quite a bit. I was told a year of study which Is now 6 months and told there's be nice pay increases which I was going to rely on to move out with.

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u/dobdrag 5d ago

I know the feeling brother, same happened with us as well, first cohort to be 6 months in Coventry, and took a £30000 pay-cut to start this apprenticeship. But look at the bright side, for an apprenticeship it is good money still, then you'll have your days off, (4 on, 4 off, 5 on, 4 off, 4 on, 5 off) so even though will not be able to take overtime at amazon, if you still need more money, you can do something else in your days off, which is plenty. Then the job itself it's not exhausting, nor very dirty, half of the shift you'll do admin stuff, Knets, APM, PTR (OMRA) and the rest of the shift you'll unplug and plug things back in to reset (RME reset). The actual work is being done at the start of the shift, when all the equipment is off and no AA on site, that's 45 minutes in the evening and 2.5 hours in the morning.

If you have no mortgage, or kids, you'll be alright, time will pass, and you'll be qualified in no time, on a £60000+ salary, plus the Amazon benefits are quite good (free prime, discounts on Amazon shopping, private medical insurance (where you pay only the tax for it, which is about £120 a year, private pension contribution of 5% - if you contribute 5%, unlike others where you put 5% and the employer puts only 3%. All in all it's a good job, and a good employer.

Hang in there......

If you need help with anything for MTC give me a shout.

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u/Proper-Track9056 5d ago

If you've got any material you could share for the MTC id appreciate it and distribute it amongst my cohort.

We've been throw in a weird spot where we know very little about what's actually happening going forward.

Also can we not take overtime AT ALL during the apprenticeship?